Chapter 82 Counter-Force PJM

Mark Bennett leaned over to take a look, his expression shifting from curiosity to surprise, and then from surprise to gravity.

Laura Chen also put down her tablet, her gaze fixed on the document, saying nothing.

"Mr. Mu, what does this mean?" Paul looked up at Mu Xin.

"It means exactly what it says." Mu Xin leaned back in his chair. "A twenty-megawatt gas turbine power plant, equipped with a five-megawatt-hour energy storage system, with a total investment of ninety-two million dollars."

"The construction period is ten months, which is two months shorter than your approval cycle."

"If PJM cannot grant me the grid connection approval within three months, I will build the power plant myself."

"I won't connect to your grid, I won't pay your service fees, and I won't be subject to your dispatch."

"Ohio law allows for distributed generation. As long as it's not connected to the grid, PJM's approval is not required."

"I have already consulted on this; there are no legal obstacles. According to Chapter 4928 of the Ohio Revised Code, the State Government imposes no restrictions on distributed generation systems as long as they are not connected to the main grid."

Paul stared at Mu Xin for a long time, and that condescending expression finally vanished.

It was replaced by something more complex—a sense of caution that only appears when one is backed into a corner and forced to re-evaluate their opponent.

"Mr. Mu, do you know how much it costs to build an island power plant?" Paul's voice sounded a bit strained.

"Ninety-two million dollars, as I just said."

"That's the construction cost. What about the operating costs? The fuel costs? Have you calculated those?"

"I have." Mu Xin held up three fingers. "Annual fuel costs are five to eight million dollars, and operation and maintenance costs are two to three million dollars, totaling seven to eleven million dollars—three to four times more expensive than buying electricity from the main grid."

"Then why would you still—"

"Because I don't care." Mu Xin interrupted him, his tone carrying a hint of nouveau riche ostentation.

"Mr. Hamilton, the total investment for my hotel is one hundred and twenty million dollars, the Water Plant is twenty-eight million, the power plant acquisition is eighteen million, and the infrastructure donation is twenty million."

"I've already spent all that money; do you think I care about paying a few million more in electricity bills each year?"

"You might think I'm a madman, but I don't care. The only thing I care about is the schedule."

"My hotel must open by next summer. If PJM's approval drags on past the end of this year, I will build the power plant myself."

"Spending an extra hundred million, and an extra ten million a year—but my hotel can open on time. I think that's a worthy trade-off."

Paul fell silent.

He lowered his head and flipped through a few more pages of the feasibility report for the island power plant, his expression growing darker the more he read.

This report wasn't just thrown together; every number had a source, every plan had technical details, and even the processes for land selection and environmental permits were clearly written out.

This wasn't a bluff; it was a truly executable plan.

Mark Bennett leaned over to Paul's ear and whispered a few words.

Mu Xin didn't hear exactly what he said, but he saw Paul's brow furrow even tighter.

"Mr. Mu." Paul closed the report, took off his glasses, and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"I see your resolve, but PJM's rules are not targeted at you personally. We cannot change the entire process just because of one project."

"If we open this door, what about the other sixteen hundred projects? If everyone threatens us with an island power plant, how are we supposed to manage anything?"

"I am not threatening you." Mu Xin's tone was calm. "I am telling you a fact."

"I need a grid connection, but I don't rely on it. You can approve it, or you can refuse it."

"If you approve it, I will pay a few million in service fees annually, and we can all have a pleasant cooperation."

"If you don't approve it, I will generate my own power, and you won't get a single cent."

Paul looked at Mu Xin, remaining silent for a long time.

Outside the window, a tower crane was slowly rotating, hoisting a bundle of rebar into mid-air.

The shouts of the workers and the roar of the machines were intertwined, sounding muffled and distant as they drifted inside.

"Mr. Mu, I need to go back and discuss this with my team." Paul finally spoke, his voice much lower than when he first arrived.

"We will re-evaluate your project internally, and we will seriously consider the emergency reliability path."

"But I cannot give you any promises; this is a procedural issue."

"How long will it take?" Mu Xin asked.

"Two weeks at the fastest."

"One week." Mu Xin held up one finger. "Mr. Hamilton, I don't have much patience."

"Within one week, I want to hear your decision; not 'maybe,' 'perhaps,' or 'we can consider it,' but 'yes' or 'no'."

"If it's a 'yes,' we will continue to discuss the grid connection plan. If it's a 'no,' I will immediately launch the island power plant project, and I will push forward with the land, equipment, pipelines, and environmental permits all at the same time."

"At that point, don't blame me for not giving you advance notice."

Paul's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn't speak.

He stood up, straightened his suit collar, and extended his hand. "Mr. Mu, I will give you an answer within one week."

Mu Xin stood up and shook his hand. "Mr. Hamilton, I look forward to your good news."

The three people from PJM walked out of the site office and headed towards the parking lot, stepping over the gravel road.

Mu Xin stood at the entrance of the site office, watching their backs.

Paul's pace was much faster than when he arrived, as if he were in a hurry, or perhaps as if he were fleeing from something.

Mark Bennett followed behind him with his head down, his briefcase tucked under his arm.

Laura Chen walked at the back, clutching her tablet to her chest, her expression still unchanged.

Jessica walked out of the site office and stood beside Mu Xin.

"Do you think they will agree?" she asked.

"They will." Mu Xin's tone was calm. "Not because I'm right, but because I'm less afraid of losing than they are."

"Is that island power plant plan really your trump card?"

"It is a trump card, but not one meant to be played." Mu Xin turned around and walked back into the site office. "It's meant to be shown to them."

"Once a card is revealed, there's no need to play it; they will do the math themselves."

Jessica followed behind him, silent for a few seconds, then suddenly chuckled.

"The look on Paul's face when you said you didn't have much patience was hilarious."

"Is that so?" Mu Xin picked up his now-cold coffee and took a sip. "I didn't notice."

He really hadn't noticed; he was thinking about other things.

What answer would PJM give him in a week? Would they agree to use the emergency path, or would they propose other conditions?

If he really needed to build the power plant himself, when would the ninety-two million dollar investment break even?

Although he didn't need to worry about breaking even, he needed to have an explanation for the public.

When would the population growth of Oxford Town be able to support such high electricity costs?

These questions were far more important than Paul's expression.

He glanced at the system panel.

[Current Population of Oxford Town: 10,208]

[USD Distributed Today: 10,208,000]

Mu Xin rested for a while, then walked out of the site office and stood on the high ground, looking out at the surface of Acton Lake.

The sun was bright, and the lake surface was shimmering, as if covered in a layer of crushed silver.

In the distance, PJM's black SUV drove out of the parking lot, turned onto the forest road, and soon disappeared into the shadows of the woods.