BelFone Communications, a leading technology and solution provider of mission and business critical communications, has recently provided its wireless communication solution to a hydropower station in Zambia. The communication covers the entire hydropower station hub, including a rockfill dam, a spillway on the north bank and an underground powerhouse on the south bank, as well as upstream diversion tunnels, vertical pressure pipes and downstream tailwater.

Energy shortage is a common problem faced by many African countries, and electricity supply is a major challenge that the African continent needs to address urgently. As the largest energy project under construction in Zambia and the largest hydropower station in the country, the Kafue Gorge Hydroelectric Power Station has created new favorable conditions for local economic and social development.

After deep understanding of user requirement, BelFone offered its wide-area communication coverage and intelligent personnel management system based on the SDC topology. In addition to bridging communication gaps in deep tunnels, the system enables staff at all levels to communicate and collaborate when scattered across the workplaces with features such as real-time positioning & monitoring, track playback, broadcast call, multi-group call, notification, command and dispatch, warning management, and data inspection. 

With built-in emergency alarm, satellite positioning, recording features and IP68 water and dust-proof, BF-TD511 digital radio works not only as a reliable communication tool, but also a workplace safety measure for the staff. Full-band and high-power digital repeaters BF-TR8500 were used to build a large-scale professional wireless communication network. The repeaters can be flexibly grouped and configured to accommodate communications requirement for daily routine operations and emergencies. BF-8100 SDC IP interconnection was used as a network node, and it facilitates unified command and management of the dispatch center, which is pivotal to the efficient and safe operation of this huge hydroelectric power station.