“Reliable power allows mines to operate, businesses to profit, and families to thrive,” said Thomas R. Hardy, USTDA’s Deputy Director. “This work strengthens 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.”
The Lobito Corridor enables more direct transport of copper, cobalt, and other critical minerals to overseas markets through the Port of Lobito in Angola. USTDA’s feasibility study will assess rehabilitating existing hydropower assets, developing new hydropower generation, and expanding electricity distribution infrastructure needed to reliably power mining operations that feed the Corridor, as well as surrounding communities. The study will also identify suitable U.S. sources of supply and structure the project to attract financing, creating opportunities to deploy trusted U.S. equipment and engineering services in electricity distribution and hydropower generation.
USTDA-funded programming is carried out by U.S. companies. The request for proposals for this feasibility study will be posted here: Access site ↗.
Reliable electricity access remains a critical challenge in the DRC and Zambia, where mining activity consumes the majority of available power, leaving households and local businesses underserved. This project will bring new connections to more than half a million homes and businesses while enabling mining companies along the Lobito Corridor to reduce reliance on costly diesel generation. By advancing shared U.S. and DRC economic development priorities, the USTDA-funded study also supports the objectives of the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed by the two governments in December 2025.
“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,” said Brian Kelly, CEO of Anzana Electric Group. “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.”
USTDA’s assistance to Anzana complements other USTDA support for the Lobito Corridor, including infrastructure projects for power generation, digital connectivity, port modernization, and critical minerals extraction and processing.
