CONAKRY, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Deep in Guinea's Fouta Djallon Highlands, the Kokoulo River winds its way through the mountains, while electricity generated by the Kinkon Hydropower Station powers towns and villages across the country.
On June 9, 1966, the Kinkon Hydropower Station, built by China International Water and Electric Corporation (CWE), a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Group Company Limited, was officially handed over to Guinea.
The project was a milestone for both Guinea and China. It was the first hydropower station completed in Guinea after independence and the first hydropower project delivered by China as a complete foreign aid package, with Chinese experts responsible for every stage of its development, from exploration and design to construction.
Over the past six decades, the station, with an installed capacity of 3,400 kilowatts, has remained operational. Generating an average of 16 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, it has long supplied power to the prefectures of Pita, Labe, Dalaba and Mamou. Local residents refer to it as Guinea's "Pearl of the Night."
As a symbol of China-Guinea friendship, the Kinkon Hydropower Station was featured twice on Guinea's 5,000-franc banknotes. The station has not only continued to light up homes and communities but has also witnessed generations of Chinese and Guinean builders working hand in hand toward shared development.
"I originally thought I would return to China after completing a two-year technical assistance assignment at the hydropower station, but I ended up staying for 15 years," said Hu Yang, who has been involved with the project since 2011.
According to Hu, his aspiration has always been to ensure that the station operates well and continues to serve local communities. What kept him in Guinea was not only a sense of responsibility toward his work but also the friendships he built with local people.
A village chief once visited the Chinese camp and brought anti-malaria medicines and protective supplies to the team. "The chief told us, 'You are also members of our village. You are our brothers, and we must ensure your health and safety,'" Hu recalled.
Local farmers often reserve their freshest vegetables for the Chinese staff, while Chinese engineers, when passing through villages, frequently help residents inspect and repair electrical lines.
Through years of close interaction, the hydropower station has come to represent far more than an engineering project. It also carries profound significance for people-to-people exchanges.
"Being part of the effort to keep the Kinkon Hydropower Station generating electricity continuously for 60 years is one of the proudest achievements of my career," Hu said.
Dembadouno Pelico, director of the Kinkon Hydropower Station, said that Guinean and Chinese technicians have become a highly coordinated team.
"Whether in our daily work or when dealing with equipment failures, we always study problems together and solve them together," he said.
With continuous training and guidance from the Chinese side, expertise and technical know-how have been steadily passed on. An increasing number of Guinean technicians have taken on key roles in the station's operations and management.
"I sincerely hope this cooperation will continue and that the ties between Guinea and China will become even closer," Pelico said, expressing hope that bilateral cooperation in hydropower development could expand to more regions of Guinea and benefit more people.
Souleymane Diallo, a 73-year-old retired engineer, witnessed the development of the Kinkon Hydropower Station firsthand.
"The station's greatest contribution was bringing electricity to ordinary people," Diallo said. "People were extremely excited at the time. For the first time since independence, we had a stable and reliable power supply, making around-the-clock electricity service largely possible."
Having witnessed the completion of the Kinkon Hydropower Station as a child, Diallo later became an engineer and went on to participate in the construction of the Kaleta and Souapiti hydropower stations.
According to CWE Guinea, the company has been deeply involved in Guinea's hydropower development since the 1960s, participating in major projects including Kinkon, Kaleta and Souapiti.
The Kaleta and Souapiti hydropower stations are among the most important hydropower projects in Guinea. Together, they currently provide about 80 percent of the country's electricity supply, making significant contributions to energy security, improved livelihoods and green development.
Sixty years ago, the Kinkon Hydropower Station brought the light of modern industry to Guinea's Fouta Djallon Highlands. Six decades later, it continues to provide a steady stream of clean energy for the country's economic and social development.
Like the Kokoulo River that flows endlessly beside it, the friendship and cooperation embodied by the station continue to flourish in the new era, illuminating a shared future of development for China and Guinea. ■