ANGOLA–DRC ELECTRICITY CORRIDOR TO POWER AFRICA’S CRITICAL MINERALS ECONOMY

The 1,150-kilometre line will supply Angola’s hydropower to the DRC’s Copperbelt region, boosting mining operations, industrial growth, and energy access.

Angola The democratic republic of the congo Central africa Energy infrastructure Hydropower Transmission corridor.

U.S. firm to build $1.5B power line linking Angola, DRC

A new $1.5 billion electricity transmission project linking Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is set to reshape Central Africa’s energy infrastructure and unlock the full potential of one of the world’s most mineral-rich regions.

HYDRO-LINK, a U.S.-based energy firm, has unveiled plans to build a 1,150-kilometre high-voltage transmission line that will deliver Angola’s excess hydropower to the southeastern Copperbelt region of the DRC a globally strategic hub for copper and cobalt production.

Announced during the U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Luanda, the project is expected to be completed by 2029 and aims to address chronic electricity shortages that have long constrained mining output and economic development in the DRC.

The 1,150-kilometre transmission line will channel Angola’s surplus hydropower to the DRC’s Copperbelt home to some of the world’s most critical minerals for batteries, electric vehicles, and clean energy technologies. For a region long crippled by electricity deficits, the project promises to be a game-changer for mining output, investment confidence, and industrial expansion.

“This is more than a transmission line it’s an artery for Africa’s energy and economic future,” said HYDRO-LINK Chairman and CEO Paul Hinks. “We are creating the backbone for sustainable mining, local manufacturing, and regional development.”

With global demand for copper and cobalt rising sharply, energy reliability has become a central barrier to scaling operations in the DRC. The new grid link will directly support high-energy-use mining and processing facilities, enabling full-capacity extraction and downstream mineral beneficiation key steps in increasing local value addition.

But the impact goes beyond industry. Load centers in both Angola and the DRC will benefit from expanded power access, which will help reduce energy poverty and strengthen the domestic grids. Thousands of jobs in construction, engineering, and operations are also expected to be created across both countries.

The project’s momentum has been reinforced by strategic partnerships cemented during the U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Luanda. HYDRO-LINK formalized a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Angola, setting the stage for permitting and policy coordination.

This initiative reflects a growing alignment between African development ambitions and U.S. economic diplomacy, particularly in sectors critical to the global energy transition. By facilitating clean energy trade between Angola and the DRC, the project exemplifies a model of regional integration that could be replicated across Africa.

For the DRC, a stable energy supply in the Copperbelt could be the tipping point in unlocking full-scale industrialization. For Angola, it is a step toward becoming a regional power exporter and economic anchor.

As construction gears up, the Angola–DRC transmission corridor is being hailed as a blueprint for how infrastructure can drive both continental cooperation and global competitiveness.

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ANGOLA–DRC ELECTRICITY CORRIDOR TO POWER AFRICA’S CRITICAL MINERALS ECONOMY

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