• The 200 MW Nzilo 2 hydropower plant in Lualaba province targets a 2029 commissioning.
• Lualaba Power Group leads the project, financed by MES and CMOC.
• The plant will include a solar component to ensure stable power supply.
Aimé Sakombi Molendo, Minister of Hydraulic Resources and Electricity, inspected the Nzilo 2 hydropower plant construction site in Lualaba province on October 4, 2025. The site is located approximately 60 kilometers from Kolwezi.
Lualaba Power Group spearheads this project, aiming to alleviate the energy deficit in the mining province. Industrial expansion rapidly increases electricity demand in the region.
Mohamed Badri, a corporate advisor for Lualaba Power Group, stated that work remains in the preparatory phase. This phase includes constructing access roads and a river diversion tunnel. The plant expects commissioning by early 2029.
Nzilo 2 will feature an installed capacity of 200 MW, equipped with four 50 MW turbines. The project also incorporates a solar component, designed to complement hydropower generation. This integration aims to ensure a stable power supply for both mining industries and local populations.
The overall cost exceeds $470 million. Mining Engineering Services (MES) and China Molybdenum Company Limited (CMOC) jointly finance the project under a partnership signed in May 2024. Named the Heshima project, this partnership covers full financing through construction completion. Lualaba Power, a joint venture between MES and the National Electricity Company (SNEL), obtained its independent power producer license in 2023.
Minister Aimé Sakombi Molendo emphasized his visit's role in monitoring priority government energy projects. He stated, "Projects visited on this tour total nearly 1,000 MW, against a national deficit estimated at 3,000 MW. If we manage to cover a third of this deficit, pending the large Inga project, it would already be a significant step forward."
This article was initially published in French by Ronsard Luabeya
Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum
