ECG Strengthens KNUST’s Electrical Engineering Lab with High-Voltage Equipment Donation

In a bold move to enhance practical engineering education and strengthen industry-academia collaboration, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Ashanti Sub-Transmission Region, has donated two high-voltage substation panels to the Electrical Engineering Laboratory of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

The donation, comprising a 33kV Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) panel and an 11kV Air Insulated Switchgear (AIS) panel, was sourced from Accra and presented to the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering as part of ECG’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. The equipment is expected to significantly enhance students’ hands-on understanding of substation operations, power distribution systems, and protection mechanisms—key areas of Ghana’s rapidly evolving energy infrastructure.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, the General Manager of ECG Ashanti Sub-Transmission, Ing. Peter Kofi Fletcher, emphasized that the donation stemmed from ECG’s commitment to helping educational institutions produce industry-ready graduates. He observed that most students who report for industrial attachments come with strong theoretical backgrounds but lack practical exposure to real substation environments.

“We realized that while the students are academically brilliant, they often have little or no experience with live operational systems,” Ing. Fletcher said. “As a major player in the energy sector, ECG has a duty to bridge that gap by offering institutions like KNUST the tools needed to train the next generation of electrical engineers with both the theory and the practice required to excel in the field.”

He further noted that the company’s support forms part of ECG’s broader effort to contribute to national capacity building by aligning education with industry demands. According to him, Ghana’s energy sector requires a pool of technically proficient engineers capable of handling modern electrical infrastructure safely and efficiently.

To ensure that KNUST’s staff could make the best use of the panels, Ing. Opoku Anane, Protection and Control Supervisor and Electrical Engineer with ECG Ashanti Sub-Transmission, conducted a detailed hands-on training session for the laboratory’s technical staff. The session covered key areas such as substation safety, system protection, operational procedures, and maintenance of both GIS and AIS systems. The practical demonstration was designed to empower KNUST engineers to, in turn, provide effective training to their students in power system operations.

Officials of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department expressed deep gratitude to ECG for what they described as a “timely and visionary gesture.” They acknowledged that the new high-voltage panels would transform the way practical sessions are conducted and bridge the long-standing gap between classroom learning and real-world application.

A senior lecturer who received the equipment on behalf of the Dean stated that the donation represents more than just a CSR act—it signifies a partnership between education and industry that directly contributes to Ghana’s developmental agenda.

“This equipment will expose our students to real substation operations right here on campus,” he noted. “It will not only improve their confidence and competence but also strengthen the relationship between KNUST and ECG, which we see as vital to the future of engineering education in Ghana.”

The lecturer further emphasized that access to such industry-grade equipment would make graduates from KNUST more competitive globally, as they would leave the university with a deeper understanding of practical system designs, safety protocols, and energy management technologies.

The partnership between ECG and KNUST, which has been growing steadily over the years, is expected to expand into new areas such as joint research projects, student internships, and innovation-driven collaborations that focus on addressing Ghana’s energy challenges.

By donating modern high-voltage equipment to Ghana’s leading science and technology university, ECG has once again reaffirmed its commitment to empowering the next generation of engineers, fostering innovation, and supporting the nation’s vision of building a robust and sustainable energy sector

The donation ceremony concluded with a joint pledge from both institutions to deepen cooperation in the coming years to ensure that engineering education in Ghana continues to produce highly skilled, solution-oriented professionals who can contribute meaningfully to national development.