GE Vernova, Inc. announced its participation at B20 South Africa, where it is contributing to the Energy Mix & Just Transition Task Force to advance affordable, reliable, sustainable, and secure energy systems. Alongside its B20 engagement, the company highlighted a major regional milestone in West Africa: the first full regional electric system synchronization by the West African Power Pool (WAPP), supported by GE Vernova.
The synchronization successfully unified grid operations across 15 West African countries—Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Mauritania.
WAPP, a specialized agency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is responsible for power infrastructure development and regional electricity coordination.
Roger Martella, Chief Corporate Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer at GE Vernova, said the milestone demonstrates the impact of collaborative, technology-driven transition efforts.
“At this moment, the B20 is a critical avenue to bring the private sector together with the commitments of the public sector to help lift up people through access to sustainable energy—from gas to renewables and a stronger grid. And in West Africa, WAPP’s historic electric system synchronization shows what collaboration and technology can deliver,” he said.
Technology Backbone for Regional Integration
The synchronized operation enables countries to draw from regional capacity to reduce outages, improve reliability, expand cross-border electricity trading, and integrate more renewable energy. The milestone builds on the deployment of GE Vernova’s GridOS® orchestration software at WAPP’s Information and Coordination Centre in Abomey-Calavi, Benin.
During the synchronization, GridOS® Wide Area Monitoring System provided real-time grid monitoring, while GE Vernova’s Consulting Services supported Power System Stabilizer tuning, governor field testing, and overall synchronization coordination. In addition, GE Vernova’s grid automation telecom solution enabled communication between the ICC and national dispatch centers, ensuring accurate, real-time data transfer down to the substation level.
The successful trial demonstrates that multiple national transmission operators can run reliably under ICC supervision. Full permanent synchronization is targeted for 2026, paving the way for an open regional electricity market.
Focus on Skills and Just Energy Transition
At B20 South Africa, GE Vernova is also emphasizing workforce development as a key enabler of the global energy transition. Through the GE Vernova Foundation, the company aims to support 30,000 learners globally by 2030 through technical and vocational pathways.
In Johannesburg, the Next Engineers program has reached nearly 4,100 learners and awarded US$36,000 in scholarships. GE Vernova has also provided US$83,000 in bursaries to 10 South African graduates through its External Bursary Program. Since 2020, its combined bursary support totals US$7.3 million (R128.5 million) for more than 900 beneficiaries nationwide.
The company recently convened the first Mendoza Collective Action Summit, bringing together public, private, and academic leaders to expand electricity access in underserved communities and formalize the Mendoza Principles for future collaboration.
“The global efforts underway to electrify the planet should enable all people to share in the benefits of affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy—and the economic opportunity it unlocks,” Martella added.
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