Ghana’s largest state power producer, Volta River Authority (VRA), says it has commenced process to convert the Akosombo Township, which host its 1,090 Megawatts Dam, into a smart city by transforming it to become a technology hub of the West African nation.
“We will leverage on the infrastructure and human skill sets that are abundant in the Akosombo area,” the Chief Executive of VRA, Ing Emmanuel Antwi Darkwa said.
According to Wikipedia, a smart city is an urban area that uses different types of electronic methods and sensors to collect data.
Insights gained from that data are used to manage assets, resources and services efficiently. In return, that data is used to improve the operations across the city.
The move forms part of VRA’s digitisation agenda for the next sixty years as the Authority chalks sixty years of existence.
The VRA was established by the Volta River Development Act, Act 46 of the Republic of Ghana on April 26, 1961, under the leadership of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and it has since supported Ghana’s development through hydro power generation, thermal and solar energy projects.
Speaking at the Authority’s 60th Anniversary Ceremony under the theme: ‘Celebrating 60 years in the power business: Our legacy, Our future’, Ing Emmanuel Antwi Darkwa said: “As we look into the future, it is clear to us that the electricity business will be significantly different.”
According to him, “Innovation and digitisation will be the major enablers of the business, so we are preparing ourselves for the advent of Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technological advancements that will manifest globally.
“While focusing on our long term plans, we also recognise that we are duty bound to ensure that there is adequate, competitively priced electricity to support industrial and social development of the day.
“Consequently, we have embarked on a number of renewable projects to meet the national demand in an environmentally-sustainable manner.”
He mentioned the 60MW Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam project, which has an additional solar component of 50 MW as a case in point.
“Further to that, we are also constructing the 19.6MW Kaleo/Lawra solar plants, while our wind projects at Ada and Anloga are under development. We will also continue to nurse other potential renewable projects on the Oti River as well as a pipeline of solar projects at Bongo, Walewale and other parts of the country.
Last year, VRA also commissioned the Kpong Generating Station Retrofit Project in Akuse which was aimed at extending the life of the electro-mechanical infrastructure of the power plant.
“Sixty years in the life of an organisation is no mean achievement,” Ing Emmanuel Antwi Darkwa said, adding that “as an organisation, we’re proud of our commitment and dedication towards national development and we pledge to continue on that path in the years ahead.”
Source:www.energynewsafrica.com