Trafigura, Gridworks Development Partners, the Strategic Investment Fund of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FIS-RDC), and Enterprise Power DRC SARL (EnPower), have signed an agreement to finance, build and operate a 200-kilometer high-voltage power line linking Kalumbila in Zambia with Kolwezi in the DRC’s mining heartland.

Power link nears construction

The $300 million Kalumbila-Kolwezi Interconnector Project (KKIP) will strengthen the DRC’s connection to the Southern African Power Pool, allowing electricity to move across borders and giving the Copperbelt access to as much as 550 megawatts of competitively priced power from regional markets.

The line will have a thermal capacity of 700 megawatts and is designed to expand beyond 1 gigawatt. Project sponsors say the infrastructure could help ease the DRC’s structural power deficit of more than 1 gigawatt while supporting mining, refining and industrial projects constrained by unreliable or expensive electricity.

Investors line up capital

FIS-RDC, EnPower and Gridworks plan to invest equity in the project, with Gridworks serving as lead equity investor and majority shareholder. The partners are also discussing potential investment by Zambian entities. Trafigura has agreed to arrange a significant portion of the project’s debt financing.

The transaction is the first investment announced by FIS-RDC since its creation in October 2025. The government-backed fund said the project fits its mandate to invest in strategic infrastructure while using private-sector partnerships to expand the pool of capital available for economic development.

Zambia gains export route

The interconnector is also expected to open a new market for Zambian power producers by providing transmission capacity and supporting additional generation. Talks with Zambian entities over potential co-investment are already underway, creating a broader investment structure around the cross-border project.

Emile Osumba, CEO of FIS-RDC, said the project would help address the Copperbelt’s power shortage while supporting industrial growth, jobs and government revenue. He said the fund’s participation alongside private investors demonstrates how sovereign capital can help attract additional financing for strategic infrastructure.

Private model takes shape

Marc Orphanides, managing director of EnPower, called the agreement an important step toward delivering transmission infrastructure capable of meeting rising electricity demand from the DRC’s mining industry. He also credited authorities, communities, stakeholders and the International Finance Corp. for supporting the project’s development.

Trafigura’s Global Head of Metals and Minerals Gonzalo De Olazaval said reliable, competitively priced electricity is critical to economic growth in Africa. The commodities trader sees the project as part of its broader power strategy and expects the investment to support industrial development, employment and communities in both countries.

Chris Flavin, CEO of Gridworks, said the project would strengthen regional power integration while giving the Copperbelt access to reliable electricity. Although mining offtake anchors the project, he said spare capacity could eventually support wider electricity access and encourage additional cross-border transmission investment.

Regional power trade

Founded in 1993, Trafigura is one of the world’s largest commodity trading groups, operating across energy and commodities markets, including oil, metals, minerals, gas and power. The employee-owned group has about 14,500 employees and operates in more than 150 countries, combining trading, logistics, infrastructure and financing capabilities.

FIS-RDC was established by decree in October 2025 under the supervision of the DRC’s Ministry of Finance. Its mandate includes mobilizing investment for mining, energy, infrastructure and agriculture, while promoting co-investment with domestic and international institutional and private-sector partners.

EnPower, a Congolese power trading company, has imported electricity into the DRC since 2023 and holds a private utility and import license. Gridworks, owned and funded by British International Investment, develops and invests in African electricity networks, including transmission, distribution and renewable energy infrastructure.