USTDA funds Lobito Corridor power infrastructure study

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has signed an agreement with Anzana Electric Group Limited to fund a feasibility study aimed at strengthening power infrastructure along the Lobito Corridor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia

The study will assess opportunities to expand hydropower generation and upgrade electricity distribution networks across Lualaba Province in the DRC and North-Western Province in Zambia.

The project is expected to improve power reliability for copper and cobalt mining operations and more than three million people across the region.

“Reliable power allows mines to operate, businesses to profit, and families to thrive,” said Thomas R. Hardy, USTDA’s deputy director.

“USTDA’s investment will help to strengthen the mineral supply chains America’s security and economy depend on, while building the power systems our partners in the DRC and Zambia need to grow.”

Power infrastructure along the Lobito Corridor

The Lobito Corridor provides a transport route for copper, cobalt and other critical minerals to overseas markets through the Port of Lobito in Angola. The USTDA-funded feasibility study will examine the rehabilitation of existing hydropower assets, the development of new hydropower generation and the expansion of electricity distribution infrastructure.

The proposed infrastructure would support mining operations that supply the Lobito Corridor while also serving surrounding communities.

The study will identify suitable U.S. sources of supply and assess how the project can be structured to attract financing. This could create opportunities for U.S. equipment and engineering services in electricity distribution and hydropower generation.

USTDA-funded programmes are carried out by U.S. companies. The request for proposals for the feasibility study will be posted on USTDA’s website.

Expanding electricity access

Reliable electricity access remains a challenge in the DRC and Zambia, where mining activity consumes the majority of available power, leaving households and local businesses underserved.

The project is intended to bring new electricity connections to homes and businesses while helping mining companies along the Lobito Corridor reduce their reliance on diesel generation.

Brian Kelly, CEO of Anzana Electric Group, said, “The countries along the Lobito Corridor are uniquely positioned to create long term economic value from their critical minerals. Realizing that ambition depends on reliable electricity, which underpins industrialization, drives local value addition, creates jobs and strengthens economies. Anzana’s win-win approach to infrastructure development brings together public and private partners to identify investment opportunities that advance national development priorities while strengthening strategic supply chains. We are proud to partner with USTDA on an initiative designed to catalyze long term private investment in the infrastructure needed to support sustainable economic growth and expand opportunity across the Lobito Corridor.”

The agreement forms part of USTDA’s wider support for the Lobito Corridor. Its other support includes projects focused on power generation, digital connectivity, port modernisation, and critical minerals extraction and processing.