The Volta River Authority (VRA) is aggressively pursuing an innovation and digitisation agenda to bring down cost of power generation and safeguard the future of the state-owned power producer, its Chief Executive Officer, Emmanuel Antwi-Darkwa said.

Speaking at an event to mark the 60th anniversary of the company in Accra, he said innovation and digitisation represent the future of the business and that the Authority is positioning itself to take advantage of the advent of Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and other technological advancements that will manifest globally, with the ultimate goal of ensuring competitively priced power.

“We recognise that, these enablers will compel us to drive down our costs and therefore remain competitive. We are determined to fully embrace all opportunities that will come our way,” he said at the event which forms part of series of year-long activities marking the company’s 60 years of existence.

He also said VRA sees a future for clean, cost-efficient, diversified sources of energy mainly through solar, wind and biomass: “Digitisation will facilitate the integration of these variables sources and more importantly, enable us to better monitor and maintain our generation assets for improved, stable and reliable power generation.”

Another area of interest, he noted, is e-mobility, a space he believes VRA could become a leader in locally.

All these are to be achieved under a broad corporate strategy known as BRAISE. Included in it, is a plan to convert the Akosombo township into a smart city. This process he explained, has already started and is to make the town the technology hub of the country.

There will also be the establishment of solar parks and rooftop solar facilities in Akosombo, Aboadze and Akuse.

“While focusing on our long-term plans, we also recognise that we are duty bound to ensure that there is adequate, competitively-priced electricity to support industrial and renewable projects to meet national demand in an environmentally sustainable manner,” he explained.

In this regard, he said the 60MW Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam Project comes with additional solar component of 50MW, while construction of a 19.6MW Kaleo/Lawra Solar Plant, a wind project at Ada in Accra and Anloga in the Volta Region are ongoing.