DRC Luisha Copper-Cobalt Mine Deploys 32 MWp Solar and 58 MWh Battery Storage
32 MWp solar plant and 58 MWh battery energy storage system to provide a more stable and reliable power supply
A copper-cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has begun using a 32 MWp solar power plant coupled with a 58 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) to strengthen its electricity supply and reduce reliance on diesel generation.
Located in Luisha, in Haut-Katanga province, approximately 80 kilometres from Lubumbashi, the project was successfully connected and energised on 19 June 2026.
Developed and constructed by China Railway Seventh Group, the solar-plus-storage facility is designed to provide a stable 14 MW of power and generate more than 50 million kWh of electricity annually.
Solar and battery storage support mine operations
The installation is expected to supply electricity to the mine for up to 11 hours during daylight hours. The 58 MWh battery storage system is designed to help stabilise the solar plant’s output, allowing the mine to make better use of solar generation while reducing the impact of fluctuations in renewable power production.
The project operates under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA), with China Railway Seventh Group responsible for the project’s design, procurement, construction, commissioning, grid connection, operation and maintenance.
According to China Railway Group, the project was developed in response to the mine’s longstanding challenges with unreliable grid electricity and its heavy dependence on diesel generators.
By combining solar generation with battery storage, the project is intended to provide a more consistent electricity supply while reducing the mine’s dependence on conventional diesel-based generation.
Supporting copper and cobalt production in the DRC
The Luisha copper-cobalt mine is a large open-pit mining operation with reported reserves of 31.62 million tonnes of ore, containing approximately 760,000 tonnes of copper and 56,000 tonnes of cobalt.
The mine has a reported processing capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per year, with annual production of more than 30,000 tonnes of copper cathode and over 1,000 tonnes of cobalt hydroxide.
Reliable electricity is particularly important for large-scale mining and mineral-processing operations, where interruptions in power supply can affect production, processing and operating costs.
Renewable energy gains momentum in DRC mining
The Luisha project reflects a broader trend toward the integration of renewable energy and battery storage into mining operations in the DRC.
Copper and cobalt production is strategically important to the country’s mining sector, but inadequate and unreliable electricity supply has historically been a challenge for mining companies seeking to expand production.
The deployment of a 32 MWp solar plant alongside 58 MWh of battery storage demonstrates how renewable energy and energy-storage technologies are increasingly being considered as part of the power strategy for large mining operations.
For the Luisha mine, the solar-plus-storage system provides an additional source of electricity while reducing dependence on diesel generation and supporting a more stable power supply for ongoing copper and cobalt production.
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