Electrician sheds light on his passion

When asked if he is afraid, Qian says, "The more afraid I am, the more I know I should do it, because it can bring light to tens of thousands of households".

Qian's job not only tests his mental strength, but also places significant physical demands on him. Working at heights can sometimes last more than three hours, and is physically taxing.

"If there's no wind, it's bearable, but if it gets windy, it can be particularly painful," he says. "In winter, the cold wind makes it even more challenging, and I shiver."

The job requires Qian to show up whenever and wherever there is an electrical malfunction, especially during holidays.

In scorching summer heat, he often has to wrap himself up in a thick and heavy insulating suit and wear gloves and a helmet, while performing complex operations on the poles.

"After I took off the gear, it was as if I had been pulled out of the water, and I had to drink several bottles of water to refill the lost fluids," he says.

But, the idea that his work contributes to the public good, providing convenience and comfort to so many people, makes it worth all the effort, he adds.

During the 2015 Wuzhen Summit, it took Qian just 30 minutes to build a new circuit to remove a line fault that threatened the station's security inspection operations.

In the pandemic period, he also played a vital role in ensuring the uninterrupted power supply at the hospitals, quarantine facilities and pandemic checkup points.

He and his team addressed 11 issues at such sites in 2020 through live-line operations.

In 2021, live-line operations in the Tongxiang area reached 93 percent, essentially eliminating planned power outages. All business expansion and connection projects have been covered by live-line operations, providing a reliable driving force for the economic development of urban and rural areas in Tongxiang.

In October, Qian was made a torchbearer at the Asian Games held in Hangzhou, the provincial capital of Zhejiang.

"I consider it a top honor and a high recognition of my work," Qian says. "It will be an incentive for me to carry on innovating and contributing to the advancement of live-line operations."