38: Chapter 38 Attending the Beijing Conference to Plan for the Overall Situation! Policy Alignment Clarifies Direction, Accidental Encounter with an Old Friend Foreshadows Future Development (1)

At six in the morning, the construction site of the Ji Province Nuclear Fusion Power Station was still shrouded in the early winter mist. Mu Li had already packed his luggage and was standing at the door of the temporary dormitory. Zhang Hongyuan drove over to see him off, with a freshly prepared breakfast and a thick coat for the cold in the back seat. "Engineer Mu, here are some hot soy milk and buns I just bought; eat them on the way. Jing City is colder than Ji Province, so put on this down jacket and don't catch a cold."

Mu Li took the breakfast, put on the down jacket, and instructed Zhang Hongyuan, "After I leave, you'll have to work hard to keep a close eye on the project preparation. Tell Lin Wei and Zhao Kai to sync any progress or issues with me at any time through the Team Collaborative R&D Platform. Especially regarding the formulation of the Energy Output Fluctuation Warning Plan, urge them to coordinate with the technicians from the North China Power Grid as soon as possible; we cannot delay the progress."

"Don't worry!" Zhang Hongyuan nodded vigorously. "I'll take full responsibility for the construction site, and the R&D team will also follow up in a timely manner. You focus on the meeting in Jing City, take care of yourself, and don't overwork."

At seven o'clock sharp, Mu Li boarded the high-speed train to Jing City. The carriage was warm and bright; he leaned against the window, opened his laptop, and reviewed the reporting materials for the commercial operation preparations once again. On the screen, various parameters of technical standards, the recruitment plan for the operation team, and the coordination process for energy transmission were clearly listed, with every detail reflecting the team's hard work. The high-speed train slowly started, and as the scenery outside the window receded, Mu Li's thoughts drifted toward the upcoming review meeting—this meeting was not only related to the finalization of technical standards but would also directly affect the pace of the project's commercial operation, leaving no room for error.

Three hours later, the high-speed train arrived at Jingshi South Railway Station. As soon as he stepped out of the exit, a biting cold wind hit him, and Mu Li tightened the collar of his down jacket. The driver sent by the China Energy Administration to pick him up was already waiting at the exit. Seeing Mu Li, he immediately stepped forward to help with the luggage: "Hello, Engineer Mu! I'm Xiao Wang from the Energy Administration Office, and I've been ordered to pick you up and take you to the conference hotel."

"Thank you for your hard work, Xiao Wang," Mu Li replied with a nod, following Xiao Wang into the car. The vehicle drove through the bustling streets of Jing City, where skyscrapers stood in rows and traffic flowed incessantly. This was the location of his alma mater and where he had spent four years of university; the familiar streets and landmark buildings gave him a sense of familiarity. As they passed a commercial street, he subconsciously thought of the Ji Province pedestrian street recommended by Zhang Hongyuan, and that longing for an ordinary life surfaced again—perhaps after this meeting, he could find some time to stroll the streets of Jing City and feel the long-lost urban atmosphere.

At noon, the vehicle arrived at the designated hotel. After checking in, Mu Li had a simple lunch and returned to his room to continue refining the reporting materials. At three in the afternoon, he went to the China Energy Administration on time to attend the preparatory meeting for the technical standard review. In the conference room, experts and leaders from the China Energy Administration, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the North China Power Grid, and other units had already gathered, including several renowned authorities in the field of new energy.

The preparatory meeting was chaired by Wang Jianguo, the Director of the China Energy Administration. When he saw Mu Li walk in, he immediately went up to greet him warmly: "Engineer Mu, it's been a long journey! The Ji Province Nuclear Fusion Power Station project is progressing very quickly, and the Limit Performance Test was successfully completed, which is commendable! We've invited everyone here today to review and approve the technical standards for Controllable Nuclear Fusion as soon as possible, paving the way for subsequent commercial operation and technical promotion."

Mu Li shook hands and greeted the experts and leaders one by one, then sat down in his designated spot. The core content of the preparatory meeting was to clarify the process and focus of the review meeting. Wang Jianguo emphasized: "Controllable Nuclear Fusion technology is the core breakthrough for our country's new energy industry. The formulation of technical standards must balance scientific rigor, precision, and practicality. It must align with advanced international standards while fully considering our country's actual situation to lay a solid foundation for subsequent industrial promotion."

Next, representatives from various units spoke in turn, introducing the requirements and suggestions of their respective fields for the technical standards. The technical director of the North China Power Grid proposed: "The Energy Output Fluctuation Warning Plan must clarify specific warning thresholds and emergency response procedures to ensure that the Nuclear Fusion Power Station's connection to the grid will not affect the stable operation of the existing power grid." An academician from the Chinese Academy of Sciences suggested: "The technical standards should include reliability testing standards for core components to extend equipment life and reduce commercial operation costs."

Mu Li listened carefully to the opinions of all parties, noting down key points in his notebook from time to time. He responded to the questions raised one by one and detailed the R&D team's thinking and basis for formulating the technical standards: "When formulating the technical standards, we have already fully considered the stability requirements for grid connection. We will further refine the Energy Output Fluctuation Warning Plan based on the suggestions from the North China Power Grid. Regarding the reliability testing standards for core components, we have developed a detailed testing process based on Reactor Core Component Life Extension Technology, which will be added to the technical standards later."

The preparatory meeting lasted for more than two hours, and all parties reached a consensus on the focus of the review meeting. After the meeting adjourned, Wang Jianguo kept Mu Li behind to ask about the detailed progress of the commercial operation preparation. Mu Li reported the latest progress of the project, the difficulties encountered, and the matters requiring state support one by one.

After listening to the report, Wang Jianguo nodded: "The state attaches great importance to the Controllable Nuclear Fusion project and will fully coordinate resources from all parties to support your commercial operation preparation. Regarding the difficulty you mentioned in recruiting professional talent for the operation team, we will coordinate with the Ministry of Education and relevant universities to recommend a group of outstanding graduates and research talents specializing in new energy. As for tax incentives and subsidy policies, we will also work with the China Ministry of Finance to issue a specific plan as soon as possible to alleviate the operational pressure of the project."

"Thank you for the country's strong support!" Mu Li felt a warmth in his heart. With the guarantee of national policies, the preparation for the project's commercial operation would proceed more smoothly.

By the time he left the China Energy Administration, the sky had gradually darkened. Mu Li declined Wang Jianguo's dinner invitation and decided to wander the nearby streets alone and settle his dinner. The night in Jing City was brightly lit, with shops lining the streets and pedestrians coming and going, full of the vibrancy of life. He walked slowly along the street, looking at the snack stalls, clothing stores, and bookstores, and his longing for an ordinary life grew stronger. In university, he and his roommates often wandered such streets, eating street snacks and talking about their future dreams; those times were simple and beautiful.

Walking to a time-honored Zhajiangmian shop, Mu Li stopped. In university, he and his roommates often came here for Zhajiangmian; the taste was delicious and the price was affordable. He walked into the shop, found a seat by the window, and ordered a bowl of Zhajiangmian and a side of cold cucumber salad. The waiter soon brought the food, and the familiar taste instantly evoked his youthful memories. He ate the noodles slowly, watching the traffic outside the window, feeling exceptionally calm—this was a rare moment of relaxation since he had taken over the nuclear fusion power station project.

Just then, a familiar voice sounded behind him: "Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

Mu Li turned his head and saw a face that was both familiar and somewhat strange. He froze for a moment, then recognized the person: "Chen Feng?"

Chen Feng was Mu Li's university roommate. The two had stayed up late in the lab tackling problems together and ran on the track together; they were very close. After graduation, Chen Feng joined a new energy enterprise. At first, they contacted each other occasionally, but as work became busier, they gradually lost touch.

"Mu Li! It's really you!" Chen Feng also recognized Mu Li and sat down excitedly. "Long time no see! What are you doing here?"

"I'm in Jing City for a meeting," Mu Li said with a smile. "What about you? Are you still working at the same new energy enterprise?"

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"That's right, I'm the technical director of the company now." Chen Feng replied with a smile, "I worked late today, passed by here, and wanted to come in for a bowl of noodles. I didn't expect it to be such a coincidence that I'd run into you. By the way, what kind of work are you doing now? Last time Class Monitor Li Zhe organized a class reunion and asked about you in the group chat, you hadn't confirmed if you could come yet."

Mentioning the class reunion stirred a complex array of emotions in Mu Li's heart.

He deliberated for a moment and said, "I am currently working on a project related to new energy, so I'm quite busy, which is why I haven't confirmed if I can attend the reunion yet."

Since the project was a national key classified project, he could not reveal too many details.

Chen Feng saw Mu Li's concerns and did not press him, instead saying, "Understandable, understandable. Projects in the new energy field are all critical, so you must be very busy. However, this class reunion is the first one in the ten years since graduation, and many old classmates are looking forward to seeing you. If you can spare the time, you must come! The brothers from our dormitory all miss you very much."

"I will try my best to arrange the time." Mu Li nodded, his anticipation for the class reunion growing a little more.

He asked about the recent situation of Chen Feng and other roommates, learning that most of them were still developing in the new energy field and had achieved good results, which made him feel both gratified and emotional.

The two ate and chatted, talking about interesting stories from their university days and their respective work experiences, as if they had returned to those carefree youth years.

Before they knew it, it was almost nine o'clock in the evening.

Chen Feng paid the bill and said to Mu Li, "Mu Li, this is my contact information. While you are in Jing City, if you have time, let's get together again properly. If you need any help, call me anytime."

"Okay!" Mu Li took Chen Feng's business card and also left his own contact information, "It's great to meet you this time. I will contact you as soon as possible."

After saying goodbye to Chen Feng, Mu Li slowly walked back to the hotel along the street.

The night wind was still biting, but his heart was exceptionally warm.

This chance encounter made him look forward to the reunion even more.

He took out his phone and opened the university class group chat.

It was still lively, with classmates discussing the details of the reunion.

Some suggested revisiting classic university activities, while others suggested making a class commemorative album.

Looking at the messages in the group, a smile unconsciously tugged at the corners of Mu Li's mouth.

Back in his hotel room, Mu Li first checked the latest progress of the project preparations through the team's collaborative R&D platform.

Lin Wei and Zhao Kai had already synchronized the preliminary framework of the energy output fluctuation early warning scheme to the platform and marked the key issues that needed to be coordinated with the North China Power Grid; Zhang Hongyuan also synchronized the latest situation at the construction site, and the maintenance work of core equipment was proceeding in an orderly manner.

Mu Li replied to everyone's messages one by one, offered modification suggestions on several key points of the scheme, and then washed up and rested.

At nine o'clock the next morning, the review meeting for the Controlled Nuclear Fusion Technology standards was officially held.

The meeting took place in the large conference room of the China Energy Administration, chaired by Director Wang Jianguo, with over thirty experts and leaders from various units in attendance.

As the project leader, Mu Li first reported to everyone in detail on the formulation of the first draft of the Controlled Nuclear Fusion Technology standards, including the specific content of 12 major categories such as reactor operating parameter standards, core component maintenance standards, and energy conversion efficiency standards.

During the report, Mu Li used holographic projection to intuitively display the various parameters and test data of the technical standards.

He focused on introducing the optimization and perfection of the technical standards by the R&D team, relying on the Controlled Nuclear Fusion Technology standardization system: "Through a large number of experimental tests, combined with data from Limit Performance Tests, we have precisely calibrated the operating parameters of the reactor to ensure the scientific nature and rigor of the technical standards. At the same time, we have also fully considered the actual needs of commercial operation, adding detailed maintenance procedures and cycles to the core component maintenance standards, thereby reducing operating costs."

After Mu Li's report, the experts and leaders on-site engaged in a heated discussion.

Everyone fully affirmed the overall framework and main content of the first draft of the technical standards, while also putting forward some suggestions for modification.

One expert pointed out: "In the technical standards, the safety protection standards for the reactor can be further refined, especially the emergency response procedures in extreme situations, which need to be more specific and actionable."

Another expert suggested: "Compatibility clauses should be added to the technical standards to reserve space for subsequent technology upgrades and industrial promotion."

Mu Li carefully recorded everyone's suggestions and responded to the experts' questions one by one.

Regarding the refinement of safety protection standards, he said: "Thank you for the experts' suggestions. We will combine them with the project's safety plans to further refine the emergency response procedures in extreme situations, clarify the responsibilities and operational steps of each department, and ensure the operational safety of the reactor."

Regarding the issue of compatibility clauses, he stated: "We will add compatibility clauses to the technical standards, fully considering the needs for subsequent technology upgrades and industrial promotion, to lay the foundation for the large-scale application of Controlled Nuclear Fusion Technology."

The meeting lasted for a whole day, and all parties reached a consensus on the modification opinions for the technical standards.

In his concluding remarks, Director Wang Jianguo emphasized: "The formulation of technical standards is a key link in the commercial operation of the Controllable Nuclear Fusion project. The R&D team must complete the revision of the technical standards as soon as possible based on everyone's suggestions. The China Energy Administration will fully support the advancement of the project, coordinate resources from all parties, and ensure the smooth commissioning of the first commercial Controllable Nuclear Fusion Power Station."

After the meeting, Mu Li stayed behind to have an in-depth exchange with several experts and technicians from the North China Power Grid.

He coordinated with the technical director of the North China Power Grid on the specific details of the energy output fluctuation early warning scheme, clarifying the specific numerical values for early warning thresholds and the flow of emergency response; he also discussed core component reliability testing technology with an academician from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and obtained many valuable suggestions.

In the evening, Mu Li received a call from Chen Feng inviting him to dinner.

Mu Li readily agreed and went to the restaurant they had agreed upon.

Besides Chen Feng, two other university roommates also came: Zhao Lei, who teaches at a university in Jing City, and Sun Hao, who works at a new energy investment company.

Meeting again after ten years, all four were exceptionally excited, talking about bits and pieces from their university days and their respective lives and work.

"Mu Li, what exactly is the project you are working on now? It's so mysterious." Sun Hao asked curiously, "We are all in the new energy field, maybe there will be opportunities for cooperation in the future."

Mu Li smiled and said, "It's not convenient to reveal too much at the moment. Once the project is officially launched, everyone will know. But what is certain is that once this project succeeds, it will have a major impact on our country's new energy industry."

"That impressive?" Zhao Lei said in surprise, "As expected of the straight-A student in our class, you always manage to do such meaningful things. By the way, you must come to the class reunion next month! The four brothers from our dormitory will finally be able to get together."

"I will try my best to arrange the time." Mu Li nodded, "The project is currently at a critical stage, and I need to go back and discuss it with the team to adjust the work schedule. If time permits, I will definitely come."

The four ate and chatted until late at night before reluctantly saying goodbye.

Back in his hotel room, Mu Li's mood could not calm down for a long time.

The reunion with his roommates made him feel a long-lost warmth and friendship, and also strengthened his determination to attend the class reunion.

He took out his phone and sent a message to Li Zhe: "Class monitor, I have preliminarily confirmed that I can attend the class reunion next month. Please notify me of the specific time and location later."