Energy Access at Scale: Angola Advances Rural Grid to Catalyze Regional Growth

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Mitrelli

31 Oct, 2025, 08:00 GMT

Delivering Bankable Energy Access: First-Time Power in Catabola Marks Milestone in Angola's Mission 300 and Showcases a Scalable Model for Africa's Energy Transition

A Milestone Delivered by Mitrelli in Partnership with Angola's Vision for Inclusive Development

FRAUENFELD, Switzerland, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- At a landmark ceremony, H.E. João Baptista Borges, Minister of Energy and Water, in the presence of H.E. Celeste Elavoco David Adolfo, Governor of Bié Province, officially inaugurated the Catabola Electrification Project. Built and delivered by Mitrelli, the project is part of Angola's wider national electrification program, which aims to expand reliable power access far beyond urban centers and accelerate socio-economic development across the country. Located in one of Angola's key agricultural and industrial provinces, the project marks the first time communities in Catabola have been connected to the national grid.

Also in attendance were senior board members of public energy companies, Mitrelli senior leaders including Alberto Biamonti, Country Manager for Mitrelli Angola, local authorities, and institutional partners.

Energy: The Bedrock of Economic Empowerment

From consumption to catalyst, it's the infrastructure of prosperity. Reliable electricity powers clinics, schools, markets, and manufacturing hubs, transforming rural communities into active economic nodes. This initiative delivers the infrastructure needed to drive health services, education, commerce, and local industries, while reducing reliance on costly, polluting generators.

In Catabola, Mitrelli's turnkey delivery includes:

  • 132 km of medium and low voltage lines
  • 26 medium voltage transformer stations (15 of 100 kVA and 11 of 160 kVA)
  • 2,350 new household connections (~20,000 people in Catabola)
  • 60/30 KV, 20 MVA substation, along with 4,2 MVA in medium voltage transformer stations

Combined with additional nine Mitrelli rural electrification projects in the province, this initiative will ultimately connect over 126,000 people, enabling health services, improving school operations, supporting local enterprises, and reducing household reliance on costly, polluting generators.

Mitrelli Weaves Growth into Every Connection

Mitrelli brings a holistic approach for sustainable development and impact.

Rodrigo Manso , CEO, Mitrelli: "Energy is the foundation upon which communities, economies, and futures are built, and that is precisely what we deliver here in the heart of Catabola: infrastructure with opportunity. For thousands of people, this is the moment daily life changes."

"The project reflects a close partnership between Mitrelli, government institutions, and local communities, combining technical expertise with deep local engagement. Partnering with the Government of Angola, we bring decades of experience in rural electrification and in delivering transformative projects across critical sectors. This milestone reflects both Angola's vision and our shared commitment to building the systems that empower people, strengthen economies, and shape a sustainable future - locally, nationally, and across the African continent."

A Global Business Story

This isn't just an Angolan success, it's a global radical:

  • Projects like Catabola demonstrate bankability and social return, key criteria for institutional investment backing African infrastructure.
  • Electrifying rural zones reduces reliance on polluting alternatives and fosters more resilient, lower-carbon economies.
  • As Angola pursues its Mission 300, electrifying 300 municipalities, Catabola serves as a scalable template for rapid, high-impact rollout.

Why This Matters Now

In a world shaped by energy transitions, electrification is strategic. Energy powers value chains, from mines to manufacturing, markets to mobility. It cuts the distance between potential and performance. With rural electrification in sub-Saharan Africa stagnant at just over 34% (Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2025), Catabola demonstrates how targeted investment can close that gap, setting a model for similar projects across the continent. Catabola is where that distance closes.

By replacing diesel generators and fossil fuel use with cleaner, more efficient power, the project is estimated to reduce carbon emissions by more than 370,000 tons annually, advancing Angola's energy transition goals. It also directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy for All.

For global investors, development institutions, and visionary governments, the Catabola project signals both promise and proof: that when energy is delivered with precision, scale, and local insight, it becomes the engine of inclusive, sustainable growth.

About Mitrelli

Mitrelli, a Swiss-based international company with over a decade of profound impact in Africa, has been collaborating closely with African leadership, governments, businesses, and communities, investing in and implementing innovative, holistic, and sustainable national-scale solutions. To date, the company has over 100 national-scale projects implemented across the continent, spanning housing, water, food, and energy—as well as key societal accelerators such as education, healthcare, and technology. To learn more, visit us at www.mitrelli.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Mitrelli Media Contact

Emmanuelle Bendenoun, Global Communications Manager
emmanuelle.b@mitrelli.com

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