On the morning of June 15, 2026, the construction site on the banks of the Dadai River in Cambodia was orderly and busy. All members of the Chinese Heavy Machinery project team were on duty, closely monitoring the constantly jumping equipment operating parameters on the screen. After several days of equipment testing, scheme deduction, and practical exercises, the staff gradually started the power transmission operation according to the established process. The GIS equipment, main transformer, and transmission line were connected to the power supply in sequence, and all monitoring values were stable and normal throughout the process. With all live equipment operating indicators returning to the standard range, it was confirmed on site that the 230 kV system reverse power transmission work has been successfully implemented. The reverse power transmission was successfully completed in one go, breaking the bottleneck of power supply guarantee for the power station. The entire power transmission and transformation facility officially meets the grid connection basic standards. The project team has achieved key results in the rigorous and meticulous preparation work in recent days, bringing this cross-border green power station one step closer to formal operation.

preliminary preparation

The project team will coordinate all power transmission related work in advance, implement various safety control measures at all levels, complete all electrical equipment handover tests, and accurately complete the protection setting and secondary circuit transmission testing work. The project organized multiple rounds of safety technical briefings for all staff, developed detailed operating procedures and emergency response plans based on on-site conditions, identified and eliminated various potential equipment and operational risks, and built a solid foundation for the stable promotion of reverse voltage levels.

The entire process of power transmission

The power transmission operation on the same day was strictly carried out in accordance with standardized procedures, and on-site operators completed each step of the operation process in a standardized manner, monitoring the real-time operation status of multiple types of core electrical equipment throughout the process. The entire 230 kV system, including GIS equipment, main transformers, and long-distance transmission lines, has maintained stable operation without any equipment fluctuations or parameter abnormalities throughout the entire process. The live operation is safe, stable, and efficient, achieving the established goal of reverse power transmission in one go.Keywords: the Belt and Road energy cooperation, Cambodia Shangdadai Hydropower Station, green energy base

Subsequent construction planning

The live operation of the 230 kV system completely solves the problem of power supply for power plants, and fully tests the overall reliability of the electrical facilities and external transmission projects in the station. The follow-up project team will continue to adhere to the standards of high-quality engineering construction, uphold the image of central enterprise construction responsibility, strictly control on-site construction safety and engineering construction quality, fully promote dynamic commissioning of generator sets and various grid related special tests, steadily advance the progress of project construction, and ensure that this hydropower station will be fully put into operation by 2026 and officially start commercial power generation operation. The completion of the project will improve the layout of green energy in the Daday River basin in Cambodia, continue to expand the local clean power supply, continue to consolidate the foundation of energy industry cooperation under the framework of the the Belt and Road between China and Cambodia, and inject lasting impetus into the coordinated development of cross-border infrastructure between the two countries.Editor/Li Xiaohua