Enlit Africa 2026: Huawei Launches Intelligent Substation Solution for Sub-Saharan Africa

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[Cape Town, South Africa, May 21, 2026] On May 20, Huawei hosted the Southern Africa Electric Power Summit at Enlit Africa 2026—the continent's premier meeting for the power, water, and energy sectors. Under the theme "Building Future Power Systems, Unleashing Surging Digital Intelligence Productivity" the summit brought together industry leaders and partners, including South Africa's Eskom, Ghana's BPA, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), and the International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE). Discussions centered on the development trends and real-world applications of wireless communication networks in the power sector. During the summit, Huawei, together with its partners, unveiled the Intelligent Substation Solution for Sub-Saharan Africa, designed to accelerate digital transformation across the region's power industry.

During the Enlit Africa 2026 keynote session, Wang Guoyu, Vice President of Huawei's Electric Power Digitalization BU, delivered a speech titled " Advancing All Intelligence, Empowering the Future Power System." He stated that future-oriented prosumer model becoming the new paradigm for energy transition，the power system stands at a critical point, transitioning to intelligence. Communication, digitalization, and AI are redefining core power systems. AI and digital technologies are the key drivers reshaping the entire power value chain, from generation and transmission to distribution. Huawei will continue to bring cutting-edge AI capabilities and reliable communication technologies to power scenarios, helping African utilities as they move into a new stage of intelligence.

Wang Guoyu, Vice President of Huawei's Electric Power Digitalization BU

During the summit, Huawei, in collaboration with CIGRE, and Zhuhai Unitech Power Technology Co., Ltd., launched the Intelligent Power Substation Solution for Sub-Saharan Africa. This launch underscores Huawei's commitment to driving intelligent substation upgrades across the continent through partnerships.

Launch of the Intelligent Power Substation Solution

Several African utility representatives also shared their perspectives. "This solution integrates intelligent video, AI algorithms, and secure wireless networks to replace four key manual operations with intelligent automation, such as inspection, meter reading, and analysis," said a representative. "It allows substation O&M personnel to remotely monitor the entire station. Inspection time has been cut from days to minutes, and O&M labor costs have been reduced by 70%. Our partnership with Huawei has, for the first time, equipped our transmission network with comprehensive digital sensing capabilities, enabling a true shift from reactive repair to proactive warning."

Following the summit, Huawei, together with CIGRE and the 450 MHz Alliance, convened a roundtable on private wireless network and power telecommunication network. Discussions centered on the development trends and real-world applications of wireless communication networks, all-optical networks, and data communication networks within the power sector. Gösta Kallner, Executive Chairman of the 450 MHz Alliance, emphasized that the utility private wireless network, built on the 450 MHz spectrum, has become the cornerstone for ensuring reliable and sustainable grid operations, thanks to its wide coverage, diverse eco-system and future-ready evolution capabilities. A CIGRE representative added, from the perspective of international standardization, that a unified technical framework and sharing of global practices are critical to accelerating the digital transformation of power grids. All participants agreed that establishing a ubiquitous, secure, and efficient power communication foundation is essential to supporting new power systems and achieving sustainable power development in Africa.

Looking ahead, Huawei will continue to follow a scenario-specific development approach, working closely with electric power customers and ecosystem partners across Southern Africa and the broader continent to further integrate AI and digital technologies into all power scenarios. Huawei is committed to providing intelligent, efficient, and reliable power infrastructure as a solid bedrock for Africa's economic growth and energy transition. Together, we will help write the next chapter of sustainable, intelligent energy for this promising land.

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