The 60th Annual General Meeting of the Association of Power Utilities of Africa (APUA) gave delegates more than a platform for discussions. It also took them behind the scenes of Ghana’s power transmission system.
As part of the meeting, a delegation of African and European utility professionals visited GRIDCo’s operational facilities in Tema to see first-hand how the Company manages and operates the National Interconnected Transmission System (NITS).
Led by Miss Nadia Bedi-Tsatsu, Assistant Officer, Corporate Communication Section and a member of the APUA Protocol, Delegates & Language Planning Committee, the delegation began the tour at the System Control Centre, where Ing. Wofa Kwarteng, Manager, Dispatch, explained how Operators monitor generation, demand and power exports, while keeping the grid stable. He also took the delegates through the processes for approving outages and maintenance work, stressing that no work can begin without the necessary clearance.
At the Volta Control Room, Ing. Aaron Tetteh, Assistant Chief Technician, Operations, explained how the technical team works with System Operators to coordinate outages and maintenance activities.
The delegation then visited the Volta Substation, where Ing. Tetteh highlighted the safety procedures that guide work on transmission infrastructure, including the requirement for a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) before work begins.
The final stop was the Smelter 2 Substation, GRIDCo’s 60th commissioned facility. The delegates were briefed on the substation’s history, including its role in transmitting power from the Karpowership vessel before it was relocated to Takoradi.
In the opinion of the visitors, the tour offered a closer look at the people, systems and discipline behind Ghana’s transmission network, and an opportunity to exchange experiences with colleagues working in the power sector across Africa and beyond.
The delegates left with a deeper appreciation of GRIDCo’s operations and the work that goes into keeping the national grid running safely and reliably.
