China-founded CMOC (formerly known as China Molybdenum) has sealed with Lualaba Power to boost energy in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The partnership aims to support CMOC’s extensive copper mining operations in the region with clean energy. The project will involve construction of the 200MW Nzilo II hydroelectric project. Located on the Lualaba River, downstream from the existing Nzilo I dam, this project will utilize the river’s natural flow to generate power.
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Mission
Additionally, it will integrate solar energy by pumping water upstream behind the new dam, enhancing the power supply stability for both mining activities and local industries. The project promises to address the DRC’s severe power shortages, which have previously constrained mining and smelting operations. By improving the regional power infrastructure, it aims to support both the local economy and the broader community.
Lualaba Power, partly owned by the DRC’s national electricity company Société Nationale d’Électricité (SNEL), and its joint venture partner Mining Engineering Services (MES), engaged Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH) for English law advice on the project’s development and financing. CMOC was advised by Herbert Smith Freehills Kewei (HSF Kewei), a joint operation law firm between Herbert Smith Freehills and Kewei. The HSF Kewei team, led by partner Gavin Guo and supported by a group of experts from both Shanghai and Paris offices, played a crucial role in facilitating the transaction.
