State Grid Tibet Power is making every effort to promote power grid construction and fight against poverty

China Energy Storage Network News : "Go a little slower, the pole is a little tilted. OK, you can put it down." On March 27, at the construction site of the 10 kV and below medium and low voltage distribution project in Danniang Township, Milin County, Nyingchi City, Tibet, construction workers were digging foundation pits, erecting poles and other work to make up for the construction period delayed by the epidemic.

In the decisive year of winning the battle against poverty and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, Tibet celebrated the 61st anniversary of the liberation of millions of serfs. Over the past 61 years, the snow-covered plateau has undergone tremendous changes. Electricity has injected strong impetus into the sustainable development of this fertile plateau.

In recent years, State Grid Tibet Electric Power Co., Ltd. has made every effort to accelerate the construction of power grids, so that farmers and herdsmen can use safe and reliable electricity, bringing light and hope to ordinary people. At present, State Grid Tibet Electric Power is accelerating the construction of distribution networks in the "three regions and two prefectures" and border villages to overcome the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and provide reliable power guarantee for Tibet to win the battle against poverty and build a well-off society in an all-round way.

Light up the villagers' beautiful life

On March 27, the eve of the "March 28" anniversary of the liberation of millions of serfs, in the spring-filled Cogao Village on the shores of Basongcuo Lake in Nyingchi, Lobu Tsering had completed the formalities for the matsutake processing plant and cold storage, ready to lead the villagers into a new life. From "using electricity" to "using electricity well", from his grandfather's wish to his processing plant, he is filled with emotion about the good life he has today.

52-year-old Lobuciren is the Party branch secretary of Cogao Village and a descendant of serfs. When he was a child, his family always used butter lamps and pine branches for lighting. His grandfather's greatest wish was to see the village connected to electricity in his lifetime. In 1998, the village had electricity for the first time. When the lights came on, his grandfather's smile has always been imprinted in Lobuciren's mind...

Grandpa's expectation for electricity and his yearning for a better life have always inspired Lobu Tsering to pursue a happier new life. As the villagers' lives are getting better and better, more and more household appliances are being used, and electricity is gradually running out. Unstable voltage has become a problem that troubles their daily lives and even production.

In 2017, in order to make electricity more accessible to farmers and herdsmen, the State Grid Tibet Power Company began to implement a new round of rural power grid transformation and upgrading projects. Cogao Village was one of the villages. When Lobu Tsering heard the news, he was excited for several days. The villagers began to buy large household appliances such as electric butter barrels and freezers, and also thought about setting up a processing plant.

"We are living a good life now. The processing plant and cold storage will be built soon. Our life will be even better in the future." Lobsang Tsering was full of joy.

Recover the construction time affected by the epidemic

At 14:00 on March 27, in Garang Village, Bahe Town, Gongbu Gyamda County, 80 kilometers away from Cuogao Village, village director Wangdui and villagers were looking forward to the power supply. Half an hour later, as the staff of Linzhi Power Supply Company closed the transformer switch, 80 households in the village, like the villagers in Cuogao Village, had more reliable electricity. The tsampa processing plant and tourism industry at the ruins of the Garang noble manor that the village was going to develop also had sufficient power supply.

In mid-March, the 100-day battle to build distribution networks in Tibet's "three regions and two prefectures" and border villages kicked off. In accordance with the "one guarantee, four full efforts" requirements of the Party Committee of State Grid Corporation of China, State Grid Tibet Power has gone all out to speed up the construction of the distribution network. Currently, more than 6,000 construction workers have been involved in the project construction to ensure that the project construction goals and tasks will be completed in the first half of this year.

Since the outbreak of the epidemic, Penpa Tsering, the person in charge of Linzhi Power Supply Company, has been on the front line, communicating and coordinating epidemic prevention and control and resumption of work and production. He has been busy with the batch entry, quarantine and logistical support of nearly 1,000 construction workers who have resumed work. During this period, he has made no less than 100 calls every day, and his colleagues often joke that his phone is busier than the 95598 power supply service hotline.

"My colleagues and I are busy from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. Sometimes we only have time to eat a bowl of instant noodles a day and get only three or four hours of sleep for two or three days in a row, all in order to make up for the construction period affected by the epidemic and let the local farmers and herdsmen have access to electricity as soon as possible," said Bianba Tsering.

Just as busy as Penba Tsering are the aid workers. Lin Zhixiong, the head of the comprehensive group of the Engineering Construction Management Office of Linzhi Power Supply Company, is from the State Grid Fujian Electric Power Co., Ltd. He is one of the 388 people currently helping the company in Tibet. He said: "Linzhi is full of virgin forests, and the construction of the power grid is very difficult. Every time I go to the construction site to check the progress of the construction, I have to climb the mountain with my colleagues for several hours. The construction workers dig foundation pits in the mountains and forests, and they have to bring dry food and climb the mountain road for several hours to reach the construction site, and stay there for several days."

The company fully supports the construction of distribution network projects in Tibet's "three regions and two prefectures" and "border villages", and organizes seven provincial power companies of State Grid Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Fujian to provide counterpart assistance to the construction of power grid projects in seven cities in Tibet, mobilizing all forces to work hard to tackle the construction of power grids. Since the 13th Five-Year Plan, the company has sent a total of 1,524 on-duty assistance personnel to Tibet to participate in power grid construction and other work.

Increase income for farmers and herdsmen

Cheng Yuanhong is the project manager of the 10kV and below medium and low voltage power distribution project in Danniang Township, Milin County, Nyingchi City. In February this year, he took the initiative to contact Losang Gyab, a young man from Namling County, Shigatse City, and asked him to participate in the power grid project construction. Losang Gyab met Cheng Yuanhong four years ago when he participated in the construction of a 10kV power grid project in Leiwuqi County, Qamdo City.

In Cheng Yuanhong's eyes, Losang Gyalpo is a down-to-earth, motivated and responsible Tibetan young man. When he learned that the construction project needed nearly 40 workers, he first thought of Losang Gyalpo. "For the construction of power grid projects, I don't have to worry about food and accommodation, and the daily salary is not bad. I also learned how to install transformers, climb poles, and connect wires. After the project here is completed, I want to return to Shigatse and continue to participate in the ongoing Ali interconnection project." Losang Gyalpo is full of confidence.

In Yigong Township, Bomi County, 360 kilometers away from Nyingchi City, villagers make a living by farming, herding and working outside. 47-year-old Nima used to make a living by farming and herding, and his annual income was very small. Since the construction of the Yigong 35 kV transmission and transformation project began in May 2019, Nima has been looking at the site, digging foundations, and carrying cables on the construction site, and his income has more than doubled than usual. Under his leadership, more than 130 villagers in the township have participated in the construction of the power grid project. "Power construction has provided us with new employment opportunities, and each household has increased its income by about 20,000 yuan. I am so happy." Nima said.

State Grid Tibet Power has driven farmers and herdsmen to increase their income and help them fight poverty through the construction of power grid projects . Since the 13th Five-Year Plan, the company has absorbed a total of 1.5218 million farmers and herdsmen, driving their income to increase by more than 1 billion yuan.