Bringing reliable power to his community helps build up courage and determination to tackle any problems, Yang Feiyue reports.

The rhythmic clicks of mechanical footsteps echo through the electricity distribution room in Tongxiang, Jiaxing city of East China's Zhejiang province, in early November.

A white robotic dog emerges once the door opens. It moves back and forth, diligently inspecting every distribution cabinet.

Its eyes are infrared thermometers linked to a high-definition camera, the nose is a 3D navigation laser radar, and its mouth is equipped with obstacle avoidance sensors, says Qian Dong, a senior electrician with the State Grid's Tongxiang operations.

"The dog is capable of omnidirectional movement, like climbing slopes and steps, and can take on live-line inspections, infrared temperature measurements, recording and transmitting of inspection videos, detection of harmful gases and (irregular) equipment operations," Qian says.

The data it sends is analyzed by Qian's team in the control room.

Equipped with technology, such as wireless communication, edge computing and artificial intelligence, the dog can follow predetermined routes and inspect more than 1,200 checkpoints throughout the distribution room.

Compared with more than two hours of manual work it would take a human to cover the electricity maintenance, it takes just one hour for the dog to finish the job, Qian says.

The robot is one of the latest additions to Qian's team and has been a powerful aide to ensure the smooth running of the 2023 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit in Wuzhen, Zhejiang, in November.

"We have to be extra careful for big events like this one, and pay special attention to ongoing construction close to power lines that might pose hazards," Qian explains.

The heavy lifting of the mission this year had been transferred to several unmanned aerial vehicles that were developed by Qian's innovation office, which was established in 2011 and has nurtured hundreds of talented youngsters in the industry and encouraged them to deliver innovative tools for the job.

The drones are equipped with special sensors and can monitor all major electrical lines and send back images and data for electricians like Qian to keep track of the power system's operations.

"Not only have the costs reduced, but, compared to traditional techniques, we can have a better understanding of the healthy operational state of the equipment," says Hu Aoyang, a technician from the innovation office.

With a gentle and warm smile, Qian's modesty is evident, but this belies his rich firsthand experience, expertise and contributions to groundbreaking innovations.

For the past two decades, Qian, in his 40s, has committed himself to upgrading the infrastructure of the local power system, where he has played a major role in delivering more than 150 patents and three innovative operational methods that have significantly improved safety and work efficiency of electricians.

In 2019, Qian was named a Zhejiang provincial model worker for his contributions.

"Qian has proved to us his serious and meticulous attitude to his work," says Sun Jinfan, a young technician in Tongxiang.

"He pays great attention to details and this attitude deeply influences me," Sun adds.

Qian took the lead in upgrading live-line operations from 10 kilovolts to 20 kV in 2010 when there was no prior experience for him to refer to.

"Among the challenges, the electric field is stronger, and the required safe distance is greater," he says.

Over three months of experimentation, Qian formulated operational instructions, which were proved successful by the industry.

It encouraged him to innovate further.

He led his team to successfully develop a 20 kV electric insulation layer peeling knife, vital for creating connections, which significantly raised efficiency for the new system at that time.

"The layer almost doubles in diameter, rendering the old tools unwieldy," he explains.

Moreover, an automated monitor has been used to replace manual measurements of load current throughout bypass operations, which used to take 30 minutes each time.

"Many manufacturers have utilized these solutions," Qian says.

Qian was assigned to work as a lineman at the Tongxiang power supply station in 1997, right after he graduated from the Zhejiang Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering.

It came as a surprise as he mainly studied substation operations.

"What I learned at school was mainly about supervising the lines and dealing with malfunctions," he says.

However, the substation in Tongxiang no longer needed full-time personnel, as, like many other local substations, it was monitored by a central facility. Therefore, Qian joined the ranks of line crew.

"To be frank, I was at a bit of a loss and afraid, since it was a different line of work," he recalls.

Mostly outdoor work, a lineman's responsibility is the installation, maintenance, and repair of power lines, cables, utility poles, and related equipment.

The first few days at work sent chills down Qian's spine.

He had to climb a cement pole that was 15 meters high, using only simple gear.

"Even though I was mentally prepared, I felt really shaky as I crawled my way up," he says.

"All around were vast fields, and I was so scared that I didn't dare to open my eyes."

Worse still, the foot buckles became slippery on rainy and snowy days.

"Among other things, this job requires strong hands-on skills," Qian says.

To overcome his fear of heights and learn how to properly balance on the pole, Qian spent half a year practicing, forcing himself to be the first to volunteer for such jobs.

At the same time, he actively took on more tasks, while observing and learning operations by experienced technicians, such as how to install insulating adjuncts on the pole.

His efforts soon saw him grow to become the backbone of the team. In 2006, Qian became one of the first to operate on live lines.

Generally, the safe voltage for humans is around 36 volts. However, Qian deals with high-voltage electricity of 10,000 volts or even 20,000 volts every day. The consequences of an electric shock in such high-voltage environment can be catastrophic.

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."