The evolved long-term evolution (eLTE) broadband private network that Chinese information and communication technology company Huawei installed for the Bui Power Authority’s (BPA’s) hydropower plant, in northern Ghana, is one of the most challenging industrial private broadband network projects the company has encountered in Africa so far.

“It was a good test of our capacity for building broadband private networks in such complex situations,” Huawei corporate communications VP Edison Xie told Engineering News during a site visit of the hydropower plant and related infrastructure last week.

Commissioned in 2022, Huawei built an eLTE broadband private network that enables essential communication and operational management services at the Bui dam hydropower plant, which is located in a remote mountainous area.

Previously, Huawei had installed similar systems at one of diamond mining company Debswana’s underground operations in Botswana. The company has also installed similar fifth-generation (5G) industrial private networks at two South African underground mines.

However, Xie said on June 16 that the Bui hydro plant presented a unique set of connectivity challenges that made it particularly difficult to get right. Among those challenges was the thick impacted concrete from which the facility is constructed, as well as the 110-m-high dam wall and underground sections, with tunnels that stretch under the water.

The eLTE network provides wireless coverage for the entire campus, allowing instant communication between the control office and workers on site, thereby improving efficiency and enabling real-time responses to maintenance and emergencies.

Huawei's industry eLTE private network solution integrates wireless broadband access, trunking services, supervisory control and data acquisition data transmission, as well as voice and video viewing functions.

At BPA, Huawei deployed the 1.8 GHz time-division duplex eLTE broadband trunking solution, using a miniaturised core network, a single base station, multiple remote radio units, and an indoor distribution system.

This allows for coverage across both indoor and outdoor working areas, encompassing the dam, roadways, generator rooms and employee living areas.

To facilitate communication and coordination, staff members at the hydropower station can now use large-screen terminals and cluster technology to reduce communication costs and improve work efficiency.

Moreover, the integration with the public network allows for communication between frontline workers and headquarters, eliminating spatial limitations.

Xie said that, prior to Huawei’s solution being implemented, the Bui power plant managed through the use of fixed private lines to the control office. However, no portable access was possible for workers moving around the site. It was, therefore, crucial that a solution that could penetrate the substantial concrete barriers and infrastructure be implemented.

Limited network coverage was also a problem, owing to the remote, mountainous and sparsely populated area, which made it difficult to establish private lines that could connect the entire site. Only the office areas had network coverage, while high-risk areas such as the underground operation areas had no network signal at all. This had a material impact on personnel safety and routine maintenance.

Communication inefficiency was another concern. The underground operation area, located below thick concrete, blocked signals, resulting in no network connectivity. Staff in the underground work area had to rely on shouting for communication, leading to low efficiency and potential safety issues.

Insufficient security dispatching capability also put the facility and its staff at risk. The security personnel within the dam area had limited communication options, relying on a few fixed telephones. This lack of real-time communication hampered the effective command and dispatch of security officers, thereby undermining security measures.

The connectivity limitations also led to inadequate emergency response methods. The absence of video capabilities on the operation site prevented rapid sensing and response to emergencies. This limitation became more apparent during flood seasons and other safety-related incidents, where a lack of visualised information hampered effective emergency management.

Once implemented, the eLTE solution assisted in overcoming the information silos by integrating and consolidating data from various sources, enabling better coordination and decision-making across different aspects of the organisation.

As such, the average timeframe for resolving issues has been reduced from a week to between one and two days.

Huawei's eLTE solution also lays the groundwork for the potential implementation of future intelligent solutions such as water level detection and flow monitoring.

Xie believes the successful use of eLTE at BPA’s facility will serve as a model for successful digital transformation in other hydropower plants in the region, as well as for industries wherein similar underground operating scenarios make communication challenging, such as mining.

“The eLTE solution enables the more efficient running of the power plant. Together, this supports ambitions to develop the northern region of Ghana,” Xie said.

Currently, Ghana does not have the telecommunications infrastructure needed to accommodate 5G technology. Therefore, the eLTE solution was selected because it is 5G-ready. This will allow for a quick upgrade should 5G infrastructure become available in future.

“Huawei was the only company that accepted the challenge owing to the extreme complexity of the project. With our expertise in communication technologies and a comprehensive solution that met specific requirements, Huawei demonstrated its capability in delivering the project successfully with extensive prior knowledge and success stories as evidence,” Xie said.

* Darren Parker was a guest of Huawei on a site visit to the BPA’s renewables plants in Ghana from June 14 to 18.