Paola Caballero: The challenge of working in a hydroelectric plant

Paola Caballero studied electronic engineering at the Technological University of Panama, and has been working in a hydroelectric plant since 2007. She tells us that it was not easy, but that she managed to stand out in an area where a high percentage of staff are men.

Today, in International Women’s Daywe share the story of Paola Caballerowho works as a reliability engineer at the AES hydroelectric plant in Estí, Chiriquí.

throughout his career He was responsible for electrical design, operational excellence, predictive maintenance, asset management and standards.

He participated in multiple trainings with the idea of ​​always learning a little more and serving as a role model for many girls who dream of careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) professions.

As a reliability engineer, she is in charge of reviewing failures that occur during AXIS and see how you can get rid of them. This translates into an analysis of possible failures that the equipment may present in all AES facilitiesthey manage the “data,” along with a multidisciplinary team that reviews the root cause of a problem or event and then makes decisions that lead to actions or recommendations for each event.

The engineer adds: “Specifically, at this moment I am responsible for rehabilitation of Estiafter a few months ago the plant suffered the ravages of the weather”.

“Together with my work team, we are developing the medium voltage program, a necessary system for the operation sequence of the power plant, which is expected to fully recover in 2023,” he notes.

This is this process recovery, cleansing and testing of medium voltage equipment is carried out by contractors and operators. In an environment where approximately 95% of men work.

“My job is a real challenge because I have to provide security and the processes of those personnel who are not used to being managed by a woman,” she says.

However, “I deserve their respect and have the support of this team who are doing selfless work, with rotating shifts, and are dedicated to moving forward with dam recovery.”

Women should occupy these spaces in various industriesin business environments, in organizations, in governments: “firstly because we ‘can’, and secondly because it turns out that we have an increasingly relevant role in all areas of life and the efforts that society invests in the matter of inclusion and gender equality must be used in our active participation in all areas of human knowledge”.

Women must support each other, and this premise serves to emphasize the importance of this Sir to see in this modeling function when the experiences of some serve for the growth of others.

Story: “I remember a story I read years ago about the first girl who controlled the u National Dispatch CenterI was interested in her story, I thought that if she can develop in energy, so can I. We just need to believe that we are capable, be confident that we can achieve everything we set out to do and work with passion for it.”

“As millennial that I am attracted by the development that is looming for energy sector, continues to comment on this Chiricana who feels a true commitment to sustainable development,” he says.