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A US$300 million cross-border electricity project connecting Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is set to strengthen energy security in one of Africa's most important mining regions, potentially unlocking new investment in copper and cobalt production, mineral processing and industrial development.

The Kalumbila–Kolwezi Interconnector Project (KKIP) took a significant step forward on 6 October 2026, when the DRC's Strategic Investment Fund (FIS-RDC), Enterprise Power DRC (EnPower), global commodities trader Trafigura and infrastructure investment company Gridworks Development Partners signed a Strategic Framework Agreement in Kinshasa to jointly finance, construct and operate the proposed transmission line. The agreement brings together public and private investors to address one of the most persistent obstacles to mining expansion in the DRC: inadequate access to reliable and competitively priced electricity.

The project will involve constructing an approximately 200-kilometre high-voltage transmission line connecting Kalumbila in northwestern Zambia to Kolwezi in the DRC's Lualaba province, at the heart of the country's copper and cobalt industry. With a planned transmission capacity of 700 megawatts (MW), the interconnector is designed to enable the importation of up to 550 MW of electricity into the DRC's Copperbelt. Its technical design also allows for future expansion beyond 1,000 MW, potentially supporting growing electricity demand from mining operations and industrial facilities.

Unlocking mining and mineral processing

The DRC, one of the world's leading producers of copper and cobalt, continues to face significant electricity shortages despite its vast mineral wealth and substantial hydropower potential. The country's structural electricity deficit exceeds 1,000 MW, according to the project partners, placing considerable pressure on mining companies, mineral processors and industrial manufacturers.

Unreliable electricity supplies can disrupt production, increase operating costs and constrain investment in energy-intensive activities such as smelting, refining and other downstream processing operations. The Kalumbila–Kolwezi project is intended to help address these challenges by creating an additional electricity supply route from Zambia and the wider Southern African electricity market.

The partners expect the infrastructure to support the expansion of existing mining operations while enabling new mining and refining investments that have been delayed by insufficient access to dependable electricity. 

Marc Orphanides, Managing Director of EnPower, described the agreement as an important step towards meeting the growing energy requirements of the Congolese mining industry.

"This agreement is an important milestone towards executing this strategic transmission infrastructure," he said, noting that the project would add significant capacity to meet mining-sector demand.

Improved electricity availability could also support the DRC's ambitions to move further up the mineral value chain by expanding domestic processing and refining capacity, rather than relying predominantly on exports of less-processed mineral products.

For an industry facing growing international demand for copper and cobalt, reliable power infrastructure is increasingly important to attracting investment, improving productivity and strengthening competitiveness.

A new model for financing African infrastructure

The project will be developed through a public-private investment structure involving Congolese institutions and international infrastructure and commodity-market investors. Gridworks, which is owned and funded by British International Investment (BII), the United Kingdom's development finance institution, is expected to become the lead equity investor and majority shareholder.

Trafigura has agreed to arrange a significant portion of the project's debt financing, while FIS-RDC and EnPower intend to participate as equity investors. Discussions are also underway regarding possible investment by Zambian entities. EnPower, a licensed Congolese electricity trader and member of the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), is serving as project developer.

The agreement also represents the first publicly announced investment initiative by FIS-RDC since the fund was established in October 2025 to mobilise capital for strategic national development projects.

Emile Osumba, Chief Executive Officer of FIS-RDC, said the project demonstrated the potential for public investment to attract private capital into strategic infrastructure.

"By helping close the Copperbelt's power deficit, the project will unlock industrial growth, skilled jobs and fiscal revenue for the DRC," Osumba said.

The investment structure reflects an emerging approach to financing major African infrastructure projects, combining public-sector participation with international development finance and private-sector expertise.

Strengthening regional energy integration

Beyond its direct contribution to the DRC's mining industry, the interconnector is expected to strengthen electricity trade between Zambia and the DRC and deepen regional integration through the Southern African Power Pool. SAPP facilitates cross-border electricity trading among participating Southern African countries, enabling electricity to be sourced from different national markets.

For Zambia, the proposed transmission infrastructure will create additional export opportunities for licensed electricity producers and could encourage investment in new generation capacity. For the DRC, greater access to the regional electricity market could help diversify electricity supply and improve the reliability of power available to industrial customers.

Chris Flavin, Chief Executive Officer of Gridworks, highlighted the wider significance of the investment.

"This is an important regional integration project," Flavin said, adding that closer electricity interconnection would benefit both Zambia and the DRC.

The initiative illustrates how cross-border infrastructure partnerships can support the development of regional mineral value chains, particularly where mining production and processing depend on reliable energy supplies. It also demonstrates the growing interdependence between mining, energy infrastructure and regional trade in Africa's industrial development agenda.

Beyond the mines: Wider economic benefits

Although mining companies are expected to anchor demand for the electricity transmitted through KKIP, the project partners have indicated that the infrastructure could also support businesses and communities along the mining corridor. Improved electricity availability could stimulate investment in manufacturing, logistics, mining services and small and medium-sized enterprises, creating opportunities for employment and economic diversification.

However, extending electricity access beyond major industrial consumers will require complementary distribution infrastructure and appropriate commercial arrangements. The potential wider benefits reinforce the importance of integrating mining-related infrastructure investments with national development and electrification strategies.

Moving towards implementation

According to the project partners, the Kalumbila–Kolwezi Interconnector has secured the necessary concessions, licences and regulatory authorisations and has reached the final stage of development.

Once completed, it is expected to become Africa's first privately developed and financed cross-border electricity transmission project of its kind. The agreement nevertheless represents a development and investment milestone rather than the completion of financing or construction. The partners must still conclude the remaining arrangements before the infrastructure becomes operational.

The project's eventual impact will depend on timely implementation, the availability of competitively priced electricity for export and the extent to which the additional power supports industrial users and surrounding communities. For the DRC, the interconnector could help remove a major constraint on copper and cobalt production while creating opportunities for increased mineral processing and domestic value addition. For Zambia, it offers the prospect of expanded electricity exports and stronger participation in regional energy markets.

More broadly, the US$300 million project demonstrates how strategic infrastructure investment and cross-border partnerships could help translate Africa's mineral wealth into greater industrial capacity, economic diversification and regional growth.

Sources : Trafigura's official announcement; Gridworks investment announcement; FIS-RDC project announcement.