The Sihanouk Port power generation project, constructed and operated by China Huadian Corporation, is located on the coast of Pangson Bay in the southern city of Sihanouk, Cambodia. Entering the project factory area, green plants are neatly arranged on both sides of the flat road, and the white main building stands out in the sunlight.

Build a coastal park style power station

In the project control center, staff are monitoring the operation status of the generator set in real time. We have planted plants that are resistant to smoke, noise, salt and alkali, and heavy metals based on the local natural environment, continuously increasing the green area. Lin Chun, the director of the project's safety and environmental protection department, told reporters that the project also regularly holds open days, and many local residents who entered the factory praised it as a coastal park.

Adhere to high environmental standards

Behind this park style power station is the high demand and continuous investment of Chinese enterprises in environmental protection. The Huadian Xigang project adopts clean power generation technologies such as low nitrogen oxide combustion and seawater desulfurization, and has also won honors such as the Special Contribution Award for Safety and Environmental Protection and the Outstanding Contribution Award for Environmental Protection issued by the Cambodian Ministry of Environmental Protection. Entering the production area, two 350000 kilowatt generator sets are operating stably. Lin Chun introduced that in order to ensure stable and efficient power supply, the unit has been kept running at high load, which also reduces the wear and tear of equipment parts and throttling losses.

Stable supply intelligent display effect

At present, the Huadian Xigang project can guarantee nearly one-third of Cambodia's electricity supply, effectively alleviating the local power shortage problem. After the project was put into operation, there have been no more nationwide power outages or even grid crashes that occurred 5 to 6 times a year in the past. Chen Jiandong, the project technical director, stated that Cambodia has completely rid itself of the long-term dependence on high priced imported electricity and achieved independent power security. This power station is also an application platform for innovative technology. In front of the boiler of Unit 1, Lin Chun pointed to the 68 meter high furnace body and explained that repairing the boiler used to be a troublesome task: workers had to drill into the furnace with dense pipelines to build scaffolding, which not only posed high risks but also required the unit to be shut down for about 10 days. Chen Jiandong introduced that the project team has replaced high-risk and high-intensity operations with intelligent devices, actively promoting the intelligent transformation of reducing manpower without reducing efficiency. For example, in order to ensure that the power heart of the generator set is foolproof, the project has equipped key equipment such as fans, water pumps, and oil pumps with dual fuses of one in use and one backup. Once the main device malfunctions, the intelligent system can automatically switch to the backup device within one second to ensure the smooth operation of the unit.

Nurture talents and promote mutual understanding among the people

Invisible algorithms have played a significant role in energy conservation. The project is equipped with four large circulating water pumps, specifically designed to extract seawater for cooling the units. Sensors in seawater will transmit real-time water temperature data, and the system will dynamically adjust the operation mode of the water pump: if the seawater temperature increases, more water pumps will be turned on, and if the temperature decreases, the corresponding reduction will occur. In the chemical power distribution room, local electrical maintenance assistant Buhoun has just completed a round of equipment inspection. He studied electrical engineering in college and found a job in his hometown that matched his major. What we learn in school is basic theory, and the truly complex practical skills of electricity are all learned here. Buhorn said: "The project has specially arranged simulator training and standardized operation drills for local employees. Chinese enterprises are willing to train us for a long time, and I am very confident about my career future." Key words: Cambodia, green power stations, the Belt and Road

Relying on talent training projects such as the Dream Building Silk Road, the project collaborates with organizations such as the China Electricity Council and the Confucius Institute in Cambodia to focus on providing specialized language and skills training. By the end of 2025, 104 people in the project have obtained professional qualification certificates, and 32 people have been promoted to senior workers. This continuously growing professional team is gradually becoming the core force for the development of the local power industry. As a key project for China and Cambodia to jointly build the the Belt and Road with high quality, the Huadian West Port project not only plays a key role in helping local power supply, but also integrates green development, talent training and livelihood improvement into the whole process of development, bringing significant economic and social benefits.Editor/Gong Ziwei