SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia: Kheang Chankompheak, a 25-year-old Cambodian man, has now mastered turbine maintenance after having worked for a Chinese coal-fired power plant for three years.
Soon after graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Chankompheak was offered a job in 2022 at the Huadian Sihanoukville Power Generation Co. Ltd., which is the operator of a 700 MW power plant in the south-western coastal province of Sihanoukville.
Chankompheak said he was proud of working for one of Cambodia’s biggest power plants and has learned new technologies and skills.
At the plant, he has been trained in turbine maintenance, including routine inspections, lubrication system checks and performance monitoring to ensure efficiency and reliability.
“We’re in charge of inspecting, maintaining and fixing machines,” he told Xinhua on Friday. “The company has provided us a three-month training course on Chinese proficiency and [turbine maintenance] techniques.”
Chankompheak said the job has not only given him valuable experience, but also improved his livelihood, as the company has offered him a decent salary.
“Each month, I can supply at least US$300 to 400 to my family, and also, I can save for myself from US$200 to 300,” he said.
“Chinese colleagues in this company are kind and helpful,” Chankompheak said. “When we have delicious food, we always invite each other to eat together.”
Launched in December 2022, the power plant, a subsidiary of the Huadian Overseas Investment Company, has not only boosted the stability, reliability and resilience of Cambodia’s electricity, but also contributed to improving local livelihoods through job creation.
Dun Chanda, a 26-year-old Khmer-Chinese interpreter at the Huadian Sihanoukville Power Generation Co. Ltd., said she has worked at the plant for two and a half years and that the plant has provided her specific skills with a decent wage.
“I feel happy to work here because I have gained a lot of knowledge,” she told Xinhua.
“The monthly income is decent, enabling me to support myself and improve my family’s livelihood,” she said. “The job here has changed my life. I can support my family and help them build a house.”
The power plant is one of the Chinese-invested mega-projects in Cambodia under the framework of Belt and Road cooperation.
Thong Mengdavid, a lecturer at the Institute for International Studies and Public Policy of the Royal University of Phnom Penh, said the plant has not only helped stabilise electricity supply, but also helped lower electricity costs and attract greater foreign investment.
“The power plant has played a key role in enhancing power stability, creating jobs, and developing skilled labour in the energy sector,” he told Xinhua.
“Moreover, under the Belt and Road Initiative, China has supported the construction of several hydroelectric and coal power plants, contributing to Cambodia’s sustainable growth and promoting environment-friendly energy infrastructure that supports cleaner energy production,” Mengdavid said. – Xinhua