After comprehensive two-year service and maintenance contracts were signed last year between Voith Hydro and the plant owner Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP), the modernization is now further enhanced with the installation of state-of-the-art digital solutions.
The service and maintenance contracts, executed at the “G20 Investment Summit,” already include the optimization of the maintenance systems and support of the day-to-day operations. The activities are being implemented exclusively by Ethiopian Voith experts on site.
With the now signed contract, this is complimented by additional services, spare parts and software solutions including OnCare.Asset and OnCall.Video. These solutions will enable the operators of Gilgel Gibe II to carry out more efficient maintenance planning.
The intelligent applications can be used for maintenance planning and execution as well as reporting and spare parts management. With OnCare.Asset, maintenance and operating costs can be significantly reduced while ensuring high system availability. The digital service portfolio will include OnCall.Video, where Voith experts are available independent of time and place. In addition, Voith Hydro will offer spare parts and employee training to facilitate knowledge transfer and make the improvements sustainable.
Using hydropower for sustainable development in Africa
The Ethiopian hydropower plant is located 300 km southwest of the capital Addis Ababa. Voith already supplied four Pelton turbines, generators and the electrical and mechanical equipment for Gilgel Gibe II in 2010.
For Ethiopia as well as other countries in Africa, stable and sustainable power generation is of enormous importance as an essential basis for positive eco- and socio-cultural development. To encourage this, Voith has been active in Africa for over 80 years. With 45,000 megawatts, Ethiopia has one of the largest hydropower potentials in Africa. With the help of Voith technology for hydropower, a total of 900,000 households in Ethiopia are supplied with sustainable and clean electricity.
