At the second shift station of the Suzhou Power Supply Company, a team of 12 staff members—comprising six young graduates and six experienced masters—works together in a unique "old and young" formation. This dynamic is common across the four shifts operating in the company's substations. Despite their age differences, these individuals are responsible for maintaining and repairing the 35 kV to 110 kV substations in the city area, ensuring stable power supply and responding to urgent repair needs. The masters, who have spent decades on the front lines, continue to pass on their skills and take on responsibilities with dedication.

On the day of the interview, the team was conducting maintenance at Wangshan Substation, preparing for the summer peak electricity demand. In the morning, several senior technicians joined young engineers. Before starting the inspection, the master emphasized safety protocols: "Wear your safety helmet, fasten your safety belt, and clearly define your tasks." The transformer they were working on stood about three meters high, requiring climbers to reach the top. Despite his age, the 50-year-old Master Fu Sunchun climbed up alongside the younger team members, offering hands-on guidance as he taught them how to dismantle, clean, and overhaul the equipment. He believed that while the young people had strong theoretical knowledge, they needed more practical experience, and it was his responsibility to ensure their safety during the work.

Master Sun Xichun, who has worked for 44 years, was completing his final maintenance task before retirement. Instead of taking it easy, he chose to be on the front line, mentoring his "disciples." "Our work affects millions of households, so craftsmanship and responsibility must be uncompromising," he said. His greatest wish before retiring was to pass on all his knowledge to the next generation. Transformer maintenance isn't just about daily upkeep—it also involves responding to unexpected emergencies. Many times, Master Sun was called out in the middle of the night. On one occasion, a substation failure occurred late at night, and Master Sun had to leave his sick granddaughter with his wife to rush to the site with his colleagues.

At the overhaul site, Master Fu Guwei, 55 years old, could be heard laughing during breaks. What the reporter didn’t know was that he had recently undergone heart surgery in April. However, because he wasn’t relieved of his duties by his four "disciples," he returned to work just ten days after the operation, despite being advised to rest for at least a month. "My body isn’t in the best shape, but my heart still aches to be here," he said. Having dedicated his life to this profession, he felt a deep sense of responsibility and hoped that the younger generation would carry on the torch.

According to reports, the Suzhou Power Supply Company operates four substations, managing 222 main transformers across 113 sets of 35 kV and 110 kV equipment in the urban area. These transformers supply power equivalent to the entire output of Yunnan and Shanxi provinces. However, due to personnel transfers to the provincial maintenance department, only 65 frontline workers remain—mostly retired masters or newly graduated young engineers, creating a "green and yellow" workforce. To address this challenge, the "masters" have continued to stay on the front lines, sharing their expertise and working side by side with the youth to keep the lights on for thousands of families.

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