A message of encouragement for friends and colleagues around the world who share the same passion.- PREX Island

Lecturers / Specialists
【column】 A message of encouragement for friends and colleagues around the world who share the same passion

N. MIYAMOTO, Director of PREX, Executive Vice President, The Kansai Electric Power Co.,Inc.

The rainy season has ended sooner than usual, and we have entered an extremely hot summer. With severe pressures on power supply expected to continue nationwide, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for your understanding and cooperation in saving electricity.

Now, amid the current tenseness of global affairs, interest in and concern for energy security is on a dramatic increase worldwide. Against this backdrop, I am reminded of the efforts made by our colleagues working every single day to ensure a stable supply of electricity, not only to the Kansai region and greater Japan, but also overseas.

Here at The Kansai Electric Power Company, we have been actively engaged in international cooperation and collaboration, predominantly in the Asian region, through technical skills and knowledge sharing and various training programs over many years.

For the past year, most training program have been conducted online due to COVID-19. However, we were able to welcome about 100 trainees, including those from JICA’s training program and internship.

Around 35 years ago, shortly after I joined The Kansai Electric Power Company, part of my job was to welcome and facilitate trainees arriving in Japan from overseas. I accompanied them on facility tours, all while breaking an anxious cold sweat as I struggled with my English. These are fond memories to me now, if not still a little embarrassing. During my time accompanying these tours, I was always impressed by the strong passion and enthusiasm of the trainees in their desire to learn as much as possible within a limited time available. Not only this, but they underwent their programs entirely in English, despite it not being their native language.

There was, and still is, much diversity of food preference and customs amongst trainees from various countries. However, more than anything I have always been struck by the great sense of unity and sense of duty amongst all of us as colleagues responsible for ensuring energy security and stability.

Although many of the trainees I met in my junior days may already be retired by now, I am confident that those who are still active in their careers, alongside the younger generation, will continue to dedicate their best efforts toward the goal of stable electricity supply in their respective regions.

Although we are dispersed over many geographic regions and span across different generations, I am moved when I think of how there are so many of us, under the same sky, who are connected by our shared passion and determination to see our united goal to fruition.

Therefore, on this summer afternoon here in the Kansai region of Japan, I wish to send you a message of encouragement for friends and colleagues around the world who have been involved in our international training programs before and to those who will do so in the future. May we all continue to strive together for the sake of energy development, stability and co-operation worldwide.

Sincerely yours

• Date : July 19, 2022
• Name : N. MIYAMOTO
• job name : Director of PREX,
  Executive Vice President, The Kansai Electric Power Co.,Inc.