Earlier this year, Luchan's two older brothers joined the project as bulldozer drivers on the night shift. The three siblings are among some 300 to 400 Laotian workers at the construction site, accounting for more than 50 percent of the employees at the level-1 plant.

Zhang Hua'nan, assistant to the general manager of Nam Ou Power Co and project manager of the level-1 plant, said: "Laotian people are very friendly and key to the construction of the hydropower station. They have played irreplaceable roles in the project.

"Many people like to work with us to earn a better income."

Zhang said the monthly salary is normally about 3 million kip for workers, while employees in the back office earn 2.5 million kip. For jobs requiring higher skills, such as a bulldozer driver, salaries range from 4 million to 5 million kip.

It is important to attract Laotian employees through economic support and other benefits such as a vacation system, Zhang said. "Only when local people's lives have been improved can they appreciate being involved in a project that benefits them," he added.

Chanthala Phanthasith, an international trade graduate from Leshan Normal University in Sichuan province, noted the appeal of PowerChina's worker benefits. She joined the Nam Ou project in October as a senior manager, training and supervising all 22 Laotian service staff members on site.

This month, she will celebrate her first songkran, the Laotian New Year, since starting with the company. "I feel great that as a Laotian employee I can have the whole three-day holiday (from April 14 to 16)," she said, adding that the company also organizes activities for other holidays.

Soudaphone Bounsoulivanh, one of four dispatchers from Laos at the level-2 plant, joined in August. Having majored in Chinese language and literature, the Yunnan Normal University graduate initially wanted to be a translator, but was assigned to monitor the hydrologic regime. Her job is critical because the real-time data of precipitation and water flow across the river is not only crucial for hydropower management, but also for the Laotian government to draw up economic plans.

"Even though I didn't know anything about the job, the company was still willing to make me the offer and provide training," she said. "My (Chinese) colleagues are all very nice. They always help me whenever I have questions.

"Working here allows me to improve my professional skills so I can make contributions to my country."

Va Ya Yong Toua, 24, from Xieng Khouang province in northeastern Laos, joined the Nam Ou project in March last year. The former waiter heard about an operational attendant's job through his Chinese teacher in Luang Prabang. He now earns twice as much as before.

"When I joined the company, I found a Chinese colleague to teach me things at work," he said. "Now, we have three more Laotian colleagues who started after me and it is my turn to teach them."