A little known fact about South Carolina is that it is one of seven states that get more electricity from nuclear power than any other source. In fact, SC got 51% of its electricity from nuclear in 2011 according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. And that number is sure to grow.
South Carolina Electric & Gas Company and Santee Cooper, the state owned utility, received approval from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission to construct two new nuclear power units at the existing V.C. Summer plant outside Columbia in Jenkinsville. The two utilities ultimately provide electricity to over 2.5 million South Carolinians. Just across the Savannah River outside Augusta, Georgia the Southern Company is also constructing two new nuclear units.
As a result, South Carolina has more than its fair share of nuclear engineers, a $90,000 per year job. Compare that to the average salary in SC: $38,000.
Aside from nuclear engineers there are many other related occupations that will be growing at these two sites. Additionally, the Savannah River Site near Aiken has an aging workforce that needs young talent.
Combining all these factors and interviewing companies in the nuclear field, an economic development organization in SC has determined that over 10,000 new nuclear employees will be needed in the corridor from Columbia, SC to Augusta, GA over the next decade. That organization, the SRS Community Reuse Organization, created its Nuclear Workforce Initiative to help residents near the Savannah River Site qualify for jobs in this growing industry.
Responding to the market demand for more nuclear workers and joining the Nuclear Workforce Initiative, local technical colleges and universities have stepped up to form a unique bi-state partnership to help educate local residents to qualify for these new jobs. For example, Aiken Technical College has created a Nuclear Welding training program and a Quality Control program to enable transitioning workers to get certified in high demand positions. Augusta State University is adding Nuclear Science tracks to its Physics and Chemistry degrees.
The future is bright for nuclear and for the nuclear workforce in Central South Carolina.
Find out More:
http://www.srscro.org/nuclear-workforce-initiative/education-programs/
