#Huawei #South Africa #Cape Town #Enlit Africa #Smart Substation

Huawei Unveils Smart Substation Solution at Enlit Africa 2026

On May 20, 2026, Huawei took center stage at the Enlit Africa 2026 event, specifically at the Southern Africa Electric Power Summit, a critical gathering in the continent's energy sector. Under the theme "Building Future Energy Systems: Unleashing Digital Intelligence Efficiency," the summit successfully brought together industry leaders and partners, including South Africa's Eskom, Ghana's BPA, Nigeria's Transmission Company (TCN), and the International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE).

During the summit, Huawei showcased its "Smart Substation Solution for Sub-Saharan Africa," aimed at accelerating digital transformation within the region's energy sector. Wang Guoyu, Vice President of Huawei's Power Digitalization Department, gave a keynote speech titled "Enhancing Intelligence to Strengthen the Future Energy System." He emphasized the shift towards a prosumer model as a new paradigm in energy transformation, stressing that the electricity system is currently at a critical transition point towards smart systems.

The convergence of communication, digitalization, and artificial intelligence continues to reshape core energy systems. These advanced technologies drive the transformation of the entire energy value chain, from production to transmission and distribution. Huawei remains dedicated to providing the latest AI capabilities and reliable communication technologies, enabling public utilities in Africa to advance to a new stage of intelligence.

The launch of the Smart Substation Solution was a collaborative effort with CIGRE and Zhuhai Unitech Power Technology Co., Ltd., reinforcing Huawei's commitment to supporting the modernization of smart substations across the continent through partnerships. A representative from one of the African utility companies shared insights on how this solution integrates smart video technology, AI algorithms, and secure wireless networks to replace four primary manual operations—monitoring, inspection, meter reading, and analysis—with intelligent automation.

"This system allows operational and maintenance personnel to monitor the entire facility remotely. The inspection time has been reduced from days to minutes, and labor costs associated with Operations and Maintenance have decreased by 70%. Thanks to our collaboration with Huawei, we've equipped our transmission network with comprehensive digital sensing capabilities for the first time, allowing a genuine shift from reactive repairs to a proactive warning system," the representative stated.

Following the summit, Huawei, alongside CIGRE and the 450 MHz Alliance, hosted a roundtable discussion focusing on private wireless networks and electric telecommunication networks. Gösta Kallner, Chairman of the 450 MHz Alliance, highlighted that the dedicated wireless network built on the 450 MHz frequency band has become a cornerstone for reliable and sustainable network operations due to its broad coverage, diverse ecosystem, and capabilities for future development.

One CIGRE representative concluded by stating that, from an international standardization perspective, it is crucial to accelerate the digital transformation of electrical networks through a unified technical framework and global sharing of applications. All participants agreed on the importance of establishing a widely accessible, secure, and efficient energy communication infrastructure to support new energy systems and promote sustainable energy development across Africa.

For more information, visit: Huawei Smart Substation