October 29–30, Hangzhou, Zhejiang — The 2026 Academic Conference of the Chinese National Committee on Large Dams (CHINCOLD) was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang from October 29 to 30. Hangzhou Meibu Materials Technology Co., Ltd., a technology-driven enterprise specializing in repair materials for hydropower engineering, participated in the conference throughout its duration. At the concurrent technical exchange exhibition, the company presented three major material technology systems — seepage control and leak sealing, abrasion and cavitation resistance, and underwater repair — and engaged in in-depth exchanges with experts and scholars from the Ministry of Water Resources, the National Energy Administration, river basin authorities, design institutes, construction organizations, and universities.

I. A Grand Industry Gathering Opens as "Three Types of Dams" Forge Industry Consensus

The conference was guided by the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Water Resources and co-hosted by CHINCOLD, China Three Gorges Corporation, PowerChina Huadong Engineering Corporation, Sinohydro Bureau No. 12 of PowerChina, and Yalong River Hydropower Development Company. Under the theme "Jointly Advancing the New Development of Safe, Ecological, and Intelligent Dams," the conference featured 3 keynote reports, 9 conference reports, 2 sub-venues, and 13 thematic academic seminars, totaling 225 presentations and attracting 1,150 delegates.

Yu Qiyang, Chief Planner of the Ministry of Water Resources, Liu Weiping, Chairman of China Three Gorges Corporation, Chen Guanfu, Deputy General Manager of Power Construction Corporation of China and Vice President of the International Commission on Large Dams, and Jia Jinsheng, President of CHINCOLD and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, attended the opening ceremony and delivered remarks. More than ten academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, along with officials from the Ministry of Water Resources, the National Energy Administration, and the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Water Resources, also attended. The opening ceremony was moderated by Peng Wenqi, Secretary-General of CHINCOLD, and the 2025 Science and Technology Awards were presented concurrently.

Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Water Resources, Yu Qiyang called for upholding safety as the bottom line, prioritizing ecological considerations, and strengthening digital and intelligent empowerment, so as to translate the construction of safe, ecological, and intelligent dams into tangible results. Jia Jinsheng noted that building the "three types of dams" is not an abstract concept but an action plan for solving real-world problems: long-term assessment of aging and deterioration must be incorporated into dam design as a mandatory requirement, while integrated sensing hardware for underwater intelligent monitoring must be strengthened to close the operational loop of "sensing–diagnosis–decision-making–feedback."

The directions set out by the two leaders align closely with the technical fields in which the company has long specialized: assessment and repair of aging and deterioration, treatment of underwater structural defects, and abrasion protection of flow-passing surfaces — concrete, material-level manifestations of the "safe" and "ecological" agendas.

II. Three Exhibition Sections Draw a Crowd as the Booth Becomes a Hub of On-Site Exchange

A total of 28 industry organizations exhibited at this year's technical exchange exhibition. As the only exhibitor dedicated to hydropower repair materials, the company presented its full technical chain under a "materials–technology–workmanship" integrated framework:

The materials display zone showcased physical samples of core products, including polyurethane grouting materials, epoxy grouting materials, composite chemical grouting materials, elastic sealing materials, and a series of underwater repair materials. Covering the three major application fields of seepage control and leak sealing, structural reinforcement, and joint water stopping, the exhibit demonstrated a fairly complete material portfolio and the company's independent R&D capability and full-chain product layout.

The technology display zone provided an in-depth interpretation of the mechanical properties and durability parameters of abrasion-resistant epoxy mortar and abrasion-resistant epoxy putty, and presented major engineering cases such as the rehabilitation of overflow surfaces and flow-passing surfaces of flood discharge structures. Measured data and engineering evidence直观ly confirmed the precise matching of material performance with complex operating conditions.

The multimedia interactive zone played, on a loop, real-world footage and typical process demonstrations of the company's special underwater repair materials in actual projects, vividly showing product performance under professional construction techniques and highlighting the company's accumulated expertise in material supply.

The booth attracted industry experts, technical personnel from design institutes and construction organizations, and numerous professionals including scholars from countries along the Belt and Road. Multiple rounds of discussions were held on specific conditions such as abrasion treatment of overflow surfaces, chemical grouting of concrete cracks, and underwater structural defect repair, and several organizations expressed intentions for follow-up engagement regarding technical solutions and material selection.

For the company, the value of these exchanges lies not only in gaining recognition, but in bringing back the real problems faced on the engineering frontline. Dams in different river basins and at different operational ages exhibit markedly different deterioration patterns, and material formulations and construction techniques must be adjusted accordingly. This is precisely why the company persists in exhibiting and treats its booth as a "technical field site."

III. Driven by Technological Innovation, Continuing to Deepen Expertise in Dam Engineering Materials

Facing the new requirements of "three types of dams" construction, the company will focus its efforts on three directions:

Safe dams — making repair durability a verifiable indicator. Centered on aging and deterioration of flow-passing surfaces and underwater structures, the company will refine its polyurethane, epoxy, and composite chemical grouting material systems, with emphasis on improving interface bond strength and abrasion-resistance retention. Long-term post-repair durability matters more than any single repair operation itself.

Ecological dams — minimizing disturbance to water bodies during repair. The company will advance the development of low environmental-burden materials, optimize underwater construction techniques, shorten in-water operation time, and reduce material residue and dispersion.

Intelligent dams — making the repair process recordable and assessable. Material batches, construction parameters, and repaired locations will be linked and archived to provide a data foundation for subsequent condition assessment and operational management.

Participation in this exhibition represents a concrete practice of the company's development philosophy of "innovation, cooperation, and sharing." Going forward, the company will continue to take technological innovation as its engine, deepen cooperation with industry partners, and provide solid material support for the high-quality development of hydropower and new energy.