[Explanation] Pingshan County, Hebei Province, Pushushui is known as "the waterfall falls from the sky", and the Pushushui power plant located in between is known as the "red power plant" and "the pioneering work of the border area."
According to Ding Xiufang, an instructor on the site of the Songming Hydropower Plant, in 1947, the Central Working Committee led by Liu Shaoqi and Zhu De entered Xibaipo. At that time, the arsenal in the Jinchaji border area was far from being able to meet the needs of the front because of lack of power and low production efficiency. With the approval of the Central Working Committee, the border district decided to build a hydroelectric power plant.
[Concurrent] Ding Xiufang, an instructor on the site of the Huishu Hydropower Plant in Pingshan County
At that time, we also inspected the Hutuo River, Xiejia River and Yehe River. At that time, the water flow and drop (of these rivers) did not meet the requirements for building a power station.
Finally, I saw a sentence in the Pingshan County Annals, called Shushu Waterfall to descend from the sky, (just) came to our Shushushui field investigation, at that time, our Shushushui waterfall, its vertical height was 93.7 meters, and the spring water flow rate was per second. 0.35 cubic meters, and it is located in a hidden environment in deep mountains, which is very suitable for building a small hydroelectric power station.
So Mr. Zhu personally made the decision to build the power plant in our Shushui.
[Explanation] In June 1947, the construction of the Shuhui Power Plant began. The construction of the power plant has received strong support from the local people.
Wang Zhenhai, a villager in Songtongshui Village, told reporters that a large amount of red clay was needed to build the reservoir of the hydropower plant. His father had carried the soil on the construction site.
[Concurrent] Wang Zhenhai, a villager in Fushui Village, Pingshan County
I heard from my father that all the villagers had participated in carrying soil, digging pipes and ditches, and repairing our Tianchi (hydroelectric power plant reservoir). Everyone carried (earth) more than a dozen times a day.
[Explanation] According to Ding Xiufang, the generators used in the Shishu Hydropower Plant were captured during the Zhengtai Campaign and it took a month to be transported to Shishuhui.
The seized generator was a diesel generator. To turn it into a hydroelectric generator, a hydraulic turbine is needed.
No one had seen a water turbine at that time. The designer found a Japanese book in the second-hand market in Shijiazhuang, and based on the above information, he designed and manufactured a water turbine.
[Concurrent] Ding Xiufang, an instructor on the site of the Huishu Hydropower Plant in Pingshan County
Mr. Zhu has visited us six times to inspect the water, and the construction of the water power station was completed under his personal auspices.
This wooden round plate is part of the water turbine. On January 25, 1948, Mr. Zhu participated in the completion of our power plant and cut the ribbon, personally turned the wooden round plate to start power generation.
As soon as we walked in, we saw the five characters "Red Power Plant". It was Mr. Zhu who came to us to write the inscription.
[Explanation] After the Shuqi Hydropower Plant was put into operation, it not only provided electricity to the surrounding arsenal, but also sent the electricity to Xibaipo, which served as a contribution to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in commanding the three major battles and preparing for the establishment of a new China.
In 1975, the Shushu Hydropower Plant was integrated into the National Grid, and the original power generation equipment ceased operation and was preserved as a historical artifact.
Today, this red power station, as a historical relic, together with the surrounding natural ecological environment, has become an important attraction for red tourism in Hebei Province.
In recent years, local people have lived a good life by developing red tourism.
[Concurrent] Wang Zhenhai, a villager in Fushui Village, Pingshan County
Some of the people in the village are employed in the (scenic area) and don’t have to go to work elsewhere. Like us, older people can earn money without going out. There are also more than 30 farm houses in the village that earn 30,000 yuan a year. Fifty thousand, ranging from one hundred to eighty thousand.
Ai Guangde and Chen Shiyu report from Shijiazhuang, Hebei
Editor in charge: [Liu Xian]