Terms of Reference for African Hydro Symposium

A Brief on the African Hydro Symposium & Update on 2026 Hosting

16th June 2026

It gives us great pleasure to announce that the African Hydro Symposium (AHS) Secretariat, Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre (KGRTC), will be hosting the face-to-face 36th African Hydro Symposium from 3 to 6 November 2026, to be twin-hosted with the 11th Hydropower for Today Forum, which will run parallel and combined from 3 to 4 November 2026. The Symposium and the Forum will be held under the theme: Climate-Resilient Hydropower and Water–Energy Security in Africa.

Registration and attendance for the AHS and Forum is free. However, delegates have to arrange their travel/flights, hotel costs and dinners from their utilities and organisations. Lunch and tea breaks will be provided by the AHS/Forum. A list of Symposium and Forum partner hotels and rates will be shared through the event update bulletins to be subsequently shared through delegate emails.

The AHS2026 introduces a strategic and deliberate twin-hosting model, bringing in one place the:

The 36th African Hydro Symposium (AHS2026), and
The 11th Hydropower for Today Forum (HTF2026)

The Symposium and Forum will converge into a single coordinated event framework to be hosted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The decision to co-host the 2026 symposium and forum, and particularly to host in Ethiopia, was proposed by ICSHP and KGRTC at the 35th African Hydro Symposium (AHS2025) hosted by KGRTC, in November 2025, in Livingstone, Zambia.

The overall objective of AHS2026, jointly delivered with HTF2026, is to advance climate-resilient, inclusive, and globally connected hydropower development and operation. The specific objectives are as follows.

Provide a joint Africa–Asia technical and policy dialogue platform on hydropower development
Integrate perspectives from large, medium, and small hydropower systems, including hybrid renewable solutions
Promote innovation, digitalization, and hydropower hybridization (hydro–solar–wind systems)
Strengthen South–South cooperation and international knowledge exchange, particularly between Africa and Asia
Facilitate investment partnerships and project development opportunities across regions
Enhance policy, regulatory, and institutional capacity through shared global experience
Showcase Ethiopia as a continental and global hydropower leader
Generate joint declarations, initiatives, and cooperation frameworks emerging from both platforms

The AHS2026/HFT2026 aim to bring together key stakeholders from across the African, Asian, European continents and beyond to discuss, collaborate, and advance hydropower sustainable development and innovation. The four-day event will host approximately 150 delegates, including hydropower experts, policy makers, public and private power utilities, financial institutions, sustainability and climate experts, to share knowledge and explore opportunities for sustainable hydroelectric power development.

This invitation is hereby extended to you, members of your organization and others to participate at the hydropower event and those that will make paper presentation(s) under the prescribed topical themes of the Symposium.

The African Hydro Symposium (AHS), established in 1989, is Africa’s longest-running professional hydropower platform, bringing together utilities, policymakers, developers, financiers, and researchers to advance hydropower development across the continent. Over the past three decades, AHS has evolved into a trusted, utility-driven knowledge exchange forum grounded in practical experience and peer learning. Similarly, the Hydropower for Today Forum (HTF), coordinated by the International Centre on Small Hydropower (ICSHP), China, has emerged as a globally recognized platform focusing on small hydropower development, innovation, international cooperation, and technology transfer, particularly linking Asia, Africa, and other developing regions.

Paper presentations are required to fall under any of the following six thematic categories:

The AHS2026 main theme will be supported by structured technical thematic tracks for paper presentations, panel discussions, and knowledge exchange, consistent with established the AHS practice. Paper presentation will be encouraged to focus on research and development, hydropower equipment design, project design and development, case studies, operation and maintenance, power systems, markets, climate and resilience, policies, hydropower lessons learned, best practices, etc. The 2026 Symposium has six thematic tracks, which are as follows.

Theme 1: Operations, Maintenance and Performance

As many hydropower plants across Africa age and operate under changing hydrological and grid conditions, improving operational efficiency and asset management has become increasingly important. Optimizing plant performance through modern maintenance strategies, refurbishment, and performance monitoring can significantly extend plant lifetimes and improve reliability. This theme will explore best practices, technologies, and operational strategies that enhance the performance, efficiency, and resilience of hydropower plants.

Thematic Focus:

Hydropower plant operations and best practices
Maintenance, refurbishment, rehabilitation, and upgrading of hydropower plants
Monitoring, evaluation, and optimization of hydropower plant performance

Theme 2: Innovation and Future-Oriented Solutions

Technological innovation is transforming hydropower systems and expanding their role in modern energy systems. Advances in plant design, digitalization, and hybrid energy systems are enabling hydropower to operate more flexibly while supporting the integration of variable renewable energy sources. This theme will highlight emerging technologies, engineering innovations, and digital solutions that are shaping the future of hydropower development and operation.

Thematic Focus:

Pumped storage hydropower and hybrid systems (hydro–solar–wind)
Innovations in hydropower plant design and engineering
Advances in turbine, generator, and balance-of-plant technologies
Digitalization, artificial intelligence, and smart control systems in hydropower

Theme 3: Sustainability, Environment and Climate Resilience

Sustainable hydropower development requires balancing energy production with environmental protection, social safeguards, and climate resilience. As climate variability increasingly affects water availability and hydrological patterns, hydropower systems must adapt to ensure long-term sustainability and reliability. This theme will examine approaches to managing environmental and social impacts while strengthening the resilience of hydropower infrastructure and river basin ecosystems.

Thematic Focus:

Hydropower and climate change adaptation and mitigation
Environmental and social impact management, safeguards, and dam safety

Theme 4: Project Development and Financing

Developing hydropower projects requires complex planning, strong project preparation, and innovative financing mechanisms to address technical, financial, and institutional risks. From feasibility studies to construction and commissioning, successful project delivery depends on coordinated efforts among developers, financiers, governments, and technical experts. This theme will explore practical experiences and lessons learned in project development, construction management, and financing models that support bankable and sustainable hydropower investments.

Thematic Focus:

Feasibility studies and project preparation for new hydropower schemes
Construction, erection, and commissioning of hydropower projects
Financing models, risk mitigation, and bankability of hydropower investments

Theme 5: Policy, Institutional Development, Training and Capacity Building

Effective policy frameworks, strong institutions, and skilled human resources are essential for accelerating hydropower development across Africa. Governments and regulatory bodies play a critical role in establishing enabling environments that attract investment, ensure sustainable resource management, and facilitate regional electricity trade. This theme will focus on policy development, institutional strengthening, and capacity-building initiatives needed to support long-term hydropower growth and knowledge transfer across the continent.

Thematic Focus:

Energy policy and regulatory frameworks for hydropower development
Licensing, permitting, and water–energy governance
Regional power trade policies and cross-border regulation
Institutional strengthening for utilities and regulators
Training, Capacity building, skills development, and technology transfer

Theme 6: Power Markets, Grid Integration and Energy Trading

Modern electricity systems are evolving from vertically integrated utilities toward competitive and regionally integrated power markets. Hydropower plays a strategic role in these markets by providing flexible generation, balancing services, and cross-border energy trade. This theme will explore market structures, regulatory frameworks, and grid integration mechanisms that enable efficient electricity trading and optimal utilization of hydropower resources.

Thematic Focus:

Modern electricity market types of power markets (regulated, single-buyer, wholesale, competitive markets); Electricity trading platforms and short-term power markets
Market mechanisms for integrating hydropower with solar and wind generation
Ancillary services, flexibility markets, and the role of hydropower in grid stability
Regional power pools and cross-border electricity trade
Open access transmission frameworks and third-party grid access
Grid impact assessments and integration studies for new generation projects
Power purchase agreements (PPAs), merchant power models, and contract structures

Important Dates

Those who will be making paper presentations, we request you to register and submit a title together with a short synopsis of not more than 250 words, by Monday 31 August 2026.

Both the delegates who will be presenting papers and those who will only be delegates are required to register online on the following link by Tuesday 30th September 2026.

Note for Paper Authors/Presenters

Registered authors will further be given guidelines, formats and templates for preparation of full papers and PowerPoint submissions.

REGISTER NOW!

The 36th African Hydro Symposium "Call for Delegate Registration, Abstracts and Papers" – Fill out form

The AHS will keep you posted by email on Symposium updates in subsequent communication bulletins.