U.S. Firm, DRC Ink $1.5 B Power Deal

Key Figures & Findings: Symbion Power’s subsidiary, Hydro-Link, has signed a landmark preliminary agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo to build a 720-mile (1,160 km) transmission line. The project aims to eliminate the chronic power deficit in Congo’s vital copper and cobalt mining regions by importing clean hydropower from neighboring Angola.

Statistics & Insights:

• Investment/Capacity: Project is valued at $1.5 billion and will deliver 1,200 MW of electricity.

• Financing: Hydro-Link will seek ~70% of the cost from the US Development Finance Corp. (DFC).

• Timeline: Power delivery from Angola’s Lauca plant is expected as soon as 2029.

Future Implications: If completed by 2029, the line could transform Congo’s mineral economy—cutting fuel imports, boosting mine output, and deepening U.S. strategic influence in the global energy metals supply chain. Analysts say it could also signal a new wave of private-led cross-border energy infrastructure in Africa.

Source: Bloomberg

Quick Take: A US firm and Angola are teaming up to solve the DRC’s chronic power deficit with a $1.5 billion transmission line, betting on American financing to fuel the global transition minerals boom.