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By Morkporkpor Anku
Bui (B/R), June 19, GNA – The Bui Power Authority (BPA) has adopted an eLTE Huawei broadband to enhance its operations.
This is the first time that Huawei has deployed eLTE-based solution in the hydroelectric industry.
The network, which carries voice, video, and data services, enables instant communication between the control room and maintenance staff moving around the plant.
It covers, without extensive cabling and installation, both indoor and outdoor working areas, including roadways inside the dam, generator rooms, and employee living areas within the Bui vicinity.
The International Renewable Energy Agency estimates that Africa’s renewable energy capacity could reach 310GW by 2030, catapulting the continent into the top tier of green energy production.
The BPA hydro-solar hybrid power plant is leading the way in Sub Saharan Africa with this essential communication and operational management services provided across Huawei’s eLTE broadband network
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Energy, said ICT systems providing intelligent energy management were critical for ensuring efficient power generation, power plant operations and power distribution.
Dr Prempeh made the statement when the Bui Power Authority put into operation a broadband private network built by Huawei.
He said they enabled renewable energy to be integrated into the grid for the reliable, stable access and supply needed in order to achieve the country’s goal of universal electricity access by 2025.
“As Ghana makes strides towards achieving universal electricity access by 2025, it is important for us to unleash the transformational power of ICT in optimising the operations at power plants, increasing the efficiency of renewable energy use, and ensuring a stable and cost-effective electricity supply to many more households nationwide,” the Minister said.
Mr Kweku Donkor, Huawei Engineer said with features like “push-to-talk” and group calls for both voice and video, the private network made routine maintenance and handling of emergencies easier and more efficient at the power plant.
He said “now staff can communicate via video call to fix maintenance challenges in record time.”
He said building modern networks also provided capacity for growth, enabling intelligent digital transformation of the site in the future.
A statement issued jointly by Huawei and BPA said clean energy was becoming increasingly important in Ghana’s national energy mix as Ghana’s National Energy Plan aimed to achieve 10 per cent penetration of renewable energy by 2030.
The role of the Bui Generating Station as an important provider of hydroelectric power in the country has been further strengthened and complemented with new installation of solar power generation capability.
In October 2019, construction commenced on the first phase of the 250MW project with the development of a Solar PV Facility.
Additionally, the Authority has commissioned a 5MW Floating Solar Plant which is the first in the Sub-Saharan region and supplies power through the Bui Switchyard to the National Interconnected Transmission System.
The release said the Generating Station produced 404MW of hydro power.
An additional 50MW of power is generated from the solar installations on site, with the total renewable power output contributing around 6-7 per cent of the total power generated in-country.
This is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 47,000 tons per year.
The statement said the country was keen to take advantage of the reservoir created by the Generating Station to promote fishing in the reservoir and the irrigation of over 30,000 hectares of land for crops, including maize, cashew, and sugar cane.
The BPA is also collaborating with strategic private investors for the running of a local cashew processing plant and sugar mill within the Bui vicinity.
This intervention is aimed at developing agriculture in Ghana, boosting employment, and thus improving the lives of local people.
GNA
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