Rinat AVAZBAKIYEV: I strive to be responsible in everything I do and to live honestly
Initially, I didn’t even think about becoming an energy engineer. At school, I wanted to be a furniture maker like my father. But the monotony of that work didn’t appeal to me at the time. However, my brother’s example and guidance helped me see how interesting the energy industry is and how it benefits people. From that moment on, I became drawn to this profession, which ultimately determined my choice.
In 2013, after graduating from the Progress Polytechnic College, we were sent to do an internship at CHPP-3. I must say that we were given the opportunity to work in different areas: lighting networks, switching equipment, electric motors. I was impressed by the large number and complexity of the equipment, but I was even more impressed by the specialists who knew the equipment inside out and for whom there were no unsolvable problems. Each area was interesting to me in its own way, and I was even more driven by the desire to do my job in such a way that the technological process would continue to run smoothly.
At the age of 21, I got a job at CHPP-3 as a 4th grade electrician on duty. I spent more than three years learning the profession in production, expanding my knowledge with new power supply schemes, protections and interlocks. In 2017, I passed the exam and started working as a 5th grade electrician on duty. And since mid-2018, I have been the shift supervisor of the Electrical Department at CHPP-3. I was very impressed by the fact that when I was taking the exams for this position, employees from the dispatch control centre came to visit us. This emphasised the importance and responsibility of our profession and gave me a broader understanding of the significance of our work.
I remember my first day at work on 1 st August 2013 very well. At that time, I realized that, as an operational worker, I would mainly have to work alone, and I was afraid that I would not be able to cope with something. But my colleagues who were on shift, as well as the workshop management, proved by their own example that I would succeed – I am not the first to go through this process of development. The main thing is to have the desire to learn how to do your job well and the perseverance that will help you not to stop halfway.
During each shift, there were specialists who shared their knowledge and experience with me, for which I am very grateful. Working with specialists on different shifts, I learned a lot from them. An important factor in mastering the basics of the profession understood that I needed to memorize the power supply diagrams for equipment and structures and study the production instructions.
Studying the instructions of other workshops, which I do constantly, gives me a greater understanding of the complexity of the process and the importance of each employee during a shift. In my opinion, visiting another department is very informative and instructive, at least for me. New (for me) equipment, different procedures, new people sharing their experience – all this gives me an understanding of how many useful employees there are in our company and how important the work of each of us is for the common cause.
My acquaintance with the work and equipment of the station continues to this day. And there has not yet been a shift where I have not discovered something new for myself. My working day begins with a tour of the station. I need to monitor the temperature of the transformer oil, the oil and gas levels in the circuit breakers, the parameters of the generators and the station’s auxiliary power sections, as well as check the hydrogen analyses in the generator casings and the proper functioning of the rotating mechanisms and other equipment.
When I come on shift, I have certain tasks that need to be completed. But during the shift, urgent, unplanned work often arises, and at these moments it is important to set priorities. In addition, we receive many requests from staff in other workshops. Through joint efforts, we manage to eliminate defects and maintain an uninterrupted production process.
Once during my shift, the electric motor shut down spontaneously, which led to the shutdown of the coal feeding equipment. The inspection did not yield the desired result, as no obvious defects were found. Then I decided to disconnect the electric motor cable from the switching equipment and simulate the start-up, and then determine which relay was malfunctioning and triggering the shutdown. Thanks to these simple manipulations, I identified the faulty relay, replaced it, and the equipment began to work properly, and soon the coal supply was restored. It is nice to know that thanks to my decisions and joint efforts with colleagues, we are able to achieve success.
In my work, speed combined with caution is a very important requirement. Despite my own experience, I often consult with masters about any malfunctions. This allows me, whenever possible, to fix them myself with my colleagues on shift, without involving repair personnel on weekends or at night. This approach helps me improve in my profession, exchange experience and maintain good relations with my colleagues in the workshop. Our profession requires solid knowledge, and I can say that the company’s team knows its job well and is always ready to cooperate.
Therefore, even when difficult breakdowns occur, we all work together smoothly, thanks to which we are able to eliminate them quickly and efficiently. I like solving difficult problems, coping with them and understanding that I am beneficial to both production and the team.
In our work, it is very important to overcome the barrier of fear, analyze past accidents and learn lessons from them, regularly read production instructions, and apply them in our work. Since our workshop covers a very large amount of equipment, malfunctions can vary. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly expand one’s knowledge, continuously learn, and read specialized literature and gain practical experience.
In addition to responsibility, it is important to be proactive in our work, not afraid to put forward our own ideas and willing to cooperate with colleagues. I see my future career path as being linked to AlES, to our station. I have career ambitions – I dream of eventually becoming the shift supervisor at the power station.
I understand how much responsibility this entails, but my interest in the work and desire to make decisions to improve the technological process are stronger. I want to learn how to more actively promote my ideas for improving the equipment and the station as a whole. And management has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to support me in this endeavor.
Today, there is a lot of talk about a resurgence of interest in blue-collar professions. These include many blue-collar specialties in the energy sector. This is timely, as the prestige of blue-collar and engineering professions has declined in recent years. It is also important to note that these professions are complex and require knowledge and responsibility, which does not appeal to young people. Many are put off by the complexity of the equipment in the energy sector and the danger it can pose.
In fact, our profession is dangerous, especially for untrained people. Superheated steam (temperature ~535°C) is transferred from the boilers through pipelines under high pressure (~95 kgf/cm) to the generator, which rotates at a speed of 50 revolutions per second, with a voltage of up to 220,000 volts (238,000 volts). We saw how dangerous this can be in practice when the transformer’s input insulator was destroyed. Shards flew out within a radius of 15-20 meters, and windows were broken. Fortunately, there were no staff nearby and no accidents occurred. But our work is essential, which means it is important that young people enter the profession consciously and responsibly, understanding what they may encounter, but most importantly, knowing that they have the skills to cope with these challenges. That is why it is necessary to prepare future specialists for work in the most responsible manner.
Personally, I really like what I do. I am used to solving complex problems. And seeing how this industry is developing in our country, how important it is becoming, I would choose this profession again without hesitation. Just as I would choose our company, which gives employees the opportunity to realize their potential, feel stability and see prospects.
The interaction and focus on results of the staff and management contribute greatly to the fact that we have a cohesive and responsible team. We don’t have random people – they just don’t stay. Real professionals choose this job for life, and there are many at AlES who have been working for decades.
I am glad that my children are also interested in my work. I really enjoy spending time with my children – they have similar interests to me. My son is interested in electronics, often comes up with interesting designs, and sometimes consults with me. And then we celebrate our interesting achievements together. My daughter loves hiking and can see beauty even in the smallest things. Recently, when there was an open day for employees’ children, my children also visited the station. They were very interested to see where I work, and they enjoyed the tour and will remember it for a long time. I am very happy that they have begun to better understand where electricity comes from, what I work with and how, and what makes me tired.
My children often ask me what I did at work on a particular day and what issues I dealt with. After thinking about it for a while, they often ask additional questions. They may comment on something or suggest solutions to problems. It’s as if they are experiencing my work with me.
For me, it is now important to give my children everything they need to be educated, responsible and secure people. Another of my tasks is to improve my own qualifications, to improve as a professional and as a person. This will be a living example for my children.
I am glad that our work provides opportunities for self-development. By continuing to learn and improve in my profession, I, like many energy workers, am expanding my interests and pursuing my hobbies. I enjoy photography. When I have the opportunity, I go out into nature, where the seasons are clearly expressed. And most often, these trips are accompanied by music. I write down the ideas that come to me and then try to implement them in an electronic music creation program.
They say that every profession leaves its mark, and important professional algorithms and requirements are transferred to everyday life. That is why, above all, I want my family to be healthy and safe. Health and safety are the most important things in life. That is why, both in my profession and in my personal life, I strive to be responsible in everything I do and to live honestly. A cool head and sound thinking allow me to see in advance where certain wrong actions may lead and to try to avoid negative scenarios.