Dapein Hydropower Station Illuminates the Streetlights All over Myanmar

Dapein Hydropower Station of China Datang Corporation Limited (“CDT”) stands deep in the mountains of northern Myanmar. Surrounded by peaks and virgin forests, it is adjacent to the Dapein River on the China-Myanmar border. The construction of the hydropower station began in July 2007, and now it boasts an installed capacity of 240,000 kilowatts. As the first hydropower station invested, constructed, and operated by CDT, it is a power corridor connecting China and Myanmar, and a vital window overlooking Southeast Asia. Over the past 15 years, the hydropower station has generated more than 10 billion kWh of electricity, supplied more than 700 million kWh of free power to Myanmar, and maintained safe production for more than 4,000 days. Dapein Hydropower Station has provided reliable clean energy for the people of Myanmar, illuminated the streetlights in the northern part of the country, and effectively improved people’s livelihood there and the local economy. The hydropower station has been commended by all circles in Myanmar, and a good corporate image of CDT has been established.

I. Huge Contributions to the Social and Economic Development of Myanmar

By the end of September 2023, the cumulative power generation capacity of Dapein (1) Hydropower Station has totaled about 10.618 billion kWh, and the free electricity supplied to Bhamo has amounted to 745 million kWh. While delivering electrical power to China, the Dapein Hydropower Station has been providing stable and clean electrical energy for Bhamo and solved its power problems. By allowing local people the stable use of electrical devices and speeding up industrial and agricultural production, the hydropower station has made huge contributions to the economics of Bhamo and the living standards of its inhabitants, which was recognized by both the Myanmar government and its people. In January 2020, the Dapein Hydropower Station received an appreciation letter from the Ministry of Electric Power and Energy of Kachin State, in which the government leaders thanked the station for its long-term supply of safe, high-quality, and reliable power, as well as its important contributions to the social and economic development of Bhamo and the living standards of its people.

Moreover, during the construction and operation of the hydropower station, many local people have joined the workforce in production, security, and cleanliness, which has played an active role in improving local employment.

In 2019, Dapein Hydropower Station carried out three recruitment campaigns in Bhamo, Myitkyina, and other areas of Myanmar, and a number of outstanding Myanmar employees were successfully recruited. Meanwhile, during the construction of the project, the hydropower station, from a practical point of view, arranged resettlement for the residents in the surrounding areas and built new villages for the immigrants, which tangibly improved the living standards of the local people, while also propelled the development of economy and society.

Among those recruited was Wu Juedu, a stationed representative at Dapein Hydropower Station from Myanmar’s Ministry of Electric Power, who joined the Dapein (1) Joint Venture in 2019. Since his first day in the hydropower station, Wu Juedu’s well-being has been closely tied to that of the entire company. He has made every effort to ensure the safe production and stable operation of the hydropower station, while also contributing to the friendship among the employees from both countries.

The Myanmar employee Nay Myo Set, who graduated from Bhamo University in 2019, became a foreign employee of Dapein Hydropower Station after several rounds of strict competition. After signing the “master-apprentice agreement”, he not only mastered the Chinese language but also learned the relevant technologies and skills and quickly grew from a trainee employee of the mechanical team to an assistant to the supervisor. In 2022, he was also recognized as an advanced individual by CDT. With the stable income from Dapein Hydropower Station, he has built a beautiful new house in his hometown; and as an employee of CDT, he has made his parents very proud.

II. Contributions to the Infrastructure Construction of Myanmar

In addition to the direct social and economic benefits, Dapein Hydropower Station has greatly facilitated the friendly exchanges between the people of China and Myanmar by supporting the infrastructure construction of the station.

During previous flood seasons, the roads in the areas around Dapein Hydropower Station collapsed severely and the traffic was often interrupted, causing great inconveniences for the personnel and the transport of materials, while posing tremendous difficulties to the travelling of local people. To solve these problems, the joint venture of CDT took active actions to timely repair the damaged roads from the Hongbeng River to the hydropower station and from the station to Bhamo, so that locals could travel freely.

The Ying-Ba Road (18 km section) Project of Dapein (1) Hydropower Company Limited within the territory of China started in September 2010 and was successfully completed in 2011. Ying-Ba Road has not only facilitated the travelling of the personnel in the station and the transportation of materials but also brought great conveniences to the travelling and business transactions of residents. Meanwhile, the 10.8 kilometres road between the Hongbeng River and the factories of the hydropower station was hardened according to the Class IV standards in China, which totally improved the local road conditions.

On 18 August 2020, the Daying River Basin was badly flooded with heavy rainfall, and the flood control situation was very challenging. In the face of the flood, Dapein Hydropower Station scientifically scheduled and orderly responded to ensure the safety of power generation and flood control. Before the arrival of the flood, the hydropower station immediately informed the Bhamo government downstream, along with local military and police forces, so as to reserve sufficient time to deal with the flood and safeguard the lives and property of the people. On 17 August 2020, Wu Deming, the person in charge of the stationed personnel from the Ministry of Electric Power of Myanmar, conveyed the thanks of the ministry: “The Ministry of Electric Power would like to show its deepest gratitude to China Datang Corporation Limited, who has firmly guaranteed the safety of our people’s lives and their property by notifying us of the flood in advance.”

Over the years, Dapein Hydropower Station has wholeheartedly helped the Kachin ethnic group with its cultural heritage. For example, the staff in the station have purchased lamps for the large-scale assemblies, the Manaus. The station has trained 47 employees for the Ministry of Electric Power, the technical backbone who have mastered the Chinese standard. It has also sent three excellent university students to study in China, strengthening mutual understanding, forming bidirectional connections, and cultivating the potential for common development.

Meanwhile, when the world was ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Dapein Hydropower Station actively donated anti-epidemic supplies such as masks and disinfectants to the local military and police forces, while strengthening the joint prevention and control mechanism. Chinese and Myanmar employees joined hands to fight the pandemic and supported each other, deepening the “Pauk-Phaw” camaraderie between the two nations.

The Belt and Road Initiative has brought us development opportunities, and with new opportunities comes a new journey. With stronger beliefs, higher morale, and a more pragmatic style, Dapein (1) Hydropower Company Limited will uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, while striving continuously to strengthen itself, to further deepen the friendship between China and Myanmar, to illuminate the streetlights all over northern Myanmar, and to make new contributions to the development of the national electrical power of Myanmar.

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