The Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia have advanced plans for a cross-border electricity transmission link intended to improve power trading and supply reliability for the Copperbelt, one of the region’s key mining and industrial zones.
The DRC government has signed an agreement with investors including Kinshasa, EnPower, Trafigura and Gridworks for the Kalumbila-Kolwezi Interconnector Project, according to African Energy’s power-sector reporting dated October 8.
The planned line is designed to facilitate greater electricity exchange between the two countries and supply energy-intensive customers. The project comes as mining and processing operations require dependable power to maintain production and support investment in the region’s mineral value chains.
Why cross-border power matters
Electricity constraints can raise operating costs, disrupt output and make industrial expansion harder. Regional transmission links can give utilities and large customers access to a broader pool of supply, although the benefits depend on generation availability, transmission capacity, commercial agreements and effective grid coordination.
For the Copperbelt, improved electricity trade could support mining operations and related industries. But a signed agreement is not the same as a completed transmission line: delivery will depend on financing, construction, technical integration and the arrangements governing how power is bought and sold.
Infrastructure is an industrial competitiveness issue
The project highlights how energy infrastructure can shape the ability of African economies to capture more value from their natural resources. Reliable power is important not only for extraction, but also for processing, manufacturing, logistics and the services that support industrial activity.
The next milestones to watch are project development, financing, construction timelines and the practical terms under which electricity will move across the border.
Source: African Energy, October 8, 2026.