KOH KONG, Cambodia, June 9 (Xinhua) -- After working at the China Huadian Lower Stung Russei Chrum Hydro-Electric station here in southwestern Cambodia for over a decade, Keat Makara, a 35-year-old Cambodian man, has become a highly skilled technician in operating a hydropower plant.
Joining the 338-megawatt hydropower station in 2013, Makara was trained under Chinese experts. This experience transformed him from an electrician's helper into a skilled hydroelectric plant technician.
Makara, who is currently assistant director of the plant's power generation operation department, said the job has changed his life and greatly improved his family's livelihood.
"Before I came to work here, I used to be an electrician's helper at buildings developed by Borey Piphup Thmey and a dockworker at a dry port," he told Xinhua on Monday. "Making a livelihood at that time was very difficult."
He said the current job has truly transformed his life, not only expanding his knowledge of hydropower generation techniques, but also significantly improving his livelihood.
"I'm responsible for training Cambodian staff members in power generation operations," he said. "I have gained a lot of knowledge about the production of hydropower, which is a source of clean energy."
Makara said the plant provides all staff members with a three-month training on safety protocols and technical skills before they start work at their respective sites.
Sharing his view on working with Chinese colleagues, he said that they are friendly, eager to share their experience, and always ready to help during difficult times.
Launched in December 2013 after nearly four years of construction, the hydroelectric station comprises two dams, with the upper having a height of 125 meters and the lower 58.5 meters.
With a total installed capacity of 338 MW and a designed annual output of 1.2 billion KWH, the plant is one of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) flagship projects in the Southeast Asian country.
Soem Phanit, a staff member at the plant's Power Generation Operation Department, said he has worked at the plant for about four years, progressing from an electrical apprentice in Phnom Penh to a skilled worker at the plant.
He recalled that before starting work at the plant, his life was extremely difficult, and some days, he had nothing to eat.
"Since joining the company, I have been very happy. The pay is higher than my previous job in Phnom Penh, and my living expenses are low because the company provides both accommodation and meals," he told Xinhua.
He echoed Makara's remarks, saying that before starting work, the company trained him on the plant's safety protocols and machinery operation for three months.
"This training is essential because working with electricity means danger can arise in an instant without proper knowledge of safety protocols and machinery operation," Phanit said.
"I am deeply grateful to China Huadian for its investment in Cambodia, which significantly improves local livelihoods and creates valuable jobs," he added.
Thong Mengdavid, deputy director at the China-ASEAN Studies Center of the Cambodia University of Technology and Science, said the hydropower station has not only helped stabilize power supply during periods of global fuel volatility, but also served as a hub for technical skills and technology transfer from Chinese experts to Cambodian talents.
"As Middle East security crises drive up global oil prices, the China Huadian Lower Stung Russei Chrum Hydro-Electric Station provides Cambodia with a vital economic anchor through its stable supply of clean energy," he told Xinhua. "Beyond physical infrastructure and technology, this hydropower station invests heavily in human resource capital by having Chinese experts train Cambodian operators to master advanced power systems." ■
