DRC and Angola Launch Major Cross-Border Energy Transmission Lines to Boost Industrial Growth and Electrification
The Ministry of Water Resources and Electricity of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), represented by Minister Aime Sakombi Molendo, has signed an agreement with Moroccan firm Somagec to develop two ambitious energy transmission lines connecting Angola and the DRC.
According to a statement, the 400 kV transmission line projects include:
- Soyo-Inga-Cabinda Line: Connecting the Angolan city of Soyo to Cabinda, passing through Matadi and Inga in the DRC.
- Lauca-Saurimo-Kolwezi Line: Linking the Lauca hydroelectric plant in Angola to the Kolwezi mining center in the DRC, passing through Saurimo and Luau in Angola.
High-Voltage Infrastructure for Regional Integration
The Soyo-Inga-Cabinda line is a high-voltage project fully financed by private investment. Its goals include:
- Strengthening Angola’s energy exports
- Ensuring reliable electricity supply to Cabinda province through the national grid for the first time
The Lauca-Saurimo-Kolwezi line, spanning over 1,200 km, is a strategic project designed to:
- Supply reliable, clean energy to the industrial heartland of the DRC
- Electrify eastern Angola, supporting regional development
- Promote private investment in energy infrastructure in the Lunda provinces, reducing reliance on public financing or sovereign debt
Financing and Partnerships
Both projects are backed by Somagec, through its subsidiary Meridia Energy, in collaboration with European, American, and African institutional investors.
They also have the support of RNT Rede Nacional de Transmissao de Electricidade and the Angolan Ministry of Energy and Water.
The projects’ development was formalized with the signing of a memorandum of understanding with RNT in January 2025, during an event attended by Minister Joao Borges in Luanda at the Epic Sana Hotel.
Economic and Regional Impact
According to the statement, the transmission lines are expected to deliver significant socio-economic benefits:
- Boost Angola’s energy exports and improve the balance of payments
- Strengthen fiscal stability in the electricity sector
- Contribute to GDP growth in both countries
- Create jobs and stimulate new economic zones built on a solid energy foundation
- Promote industrialization and broader electrification across Southern Africa
These projects represent some of the most ambitious cross-border energy initiatives in Southern Africa, reinforcing Angola and the DRC’s commitment to regional energy integration, industrial development, and sustainable private-sector-led infrastructure growth.
