The Low-Cost Transition Towards Smart Grids in Low-Income Countries: The Case Study of Togo

Power grids must integrate information and communication technologies to become intelligent. This integration will enable power grids to be reliable, resilient, and environmentally friendly. The smart grid would help low-income countries to have a more stable power system to boost their development. However, implementing a smart grid is costly and requires specialized skills. This article aims to outline a low-cost transition from conventional power grids to smart grids in lowincome countries. It examines the possibility of telecommunications networks participating in implementing smart grids in these countries, to minimize costs. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods was used. Using Togo as an example, a conceptual scheme for a low-cost smart grid is proposed, with Togo's telecom operators as the telecoms network support. A transition plan to the smart grid is proposed, based on feedback from developed countries.