What an
impact
Economic punch totals $2.3 billion
Jobs Jobs Jobs
Industry replacing aging workforce
Safety first
Power Plants set standard for U.S. Industry
The Carolinas are taking a leadership role in the coming expansion of the nuclear industry through a convergence of opportunity, education and the expertise of an established group of nuclear suppliers.
Sponsored By:
On the cover: Workers go over a checklist in the control room of Duke Energy’s Oconee Nuclear Power Station in South Carolina. Photo courtesy of Duke Energy
Energized is produced in partnership by:
Red Hand Media LLC Publisher Ben Kinney Design/Production Director Moira Johnson Art Director Manny Marquez Red Hand Media LLC 5605 77 Center Drive Suite 101 Charlotte, NC 28217 Telephone: 704-523-6987 • Fax: 704-523-4211
Group Publisher Grady Johnson • gjohnson@scbiznews.com Special Projects Editor Licia Jackson • ljackson@scbiznews.com Energized Project Manager Chuck Crumbo • ccrumbo@scbiz.com Senior Copy Editor Beverly Morgan • bmorgan@scbiznews.com Creative Director Ryan Wilcox • production1@scbiznews.com Senior Graphic Designer Jane Mattingly • production2@scbiznews.com Graphic Designer Jean Piot • production3@scbiznews.com Contributing writers Scott Carlberg Chuck Crumbo Bill Ferrell James T. Hammond Jim Little Scott Mason Allison Cooke Oliverius
Features 2 Welcome to Energized 4 Chairman Addresses
18 Westinghouse a
Columbia Mainstay
19 The Nuclear
Future
Supply Chain
6 How It All Began 8 Educating the Work Force 10 Training the Work Force 12 Higher Education’s
21 SMR Offers Solution 22 Nuclear Energy and the Carolinas
26 Thompson Answers
Challenge
14 16
the Call
27 Nuclear Cluster
Ready to Hire
Membership
Economic Impact
SC Business Publications. LLC 389 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 Telephone: 843-849-3100 • Fax: 843-849-3122 All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of Red Hand Media, LLC and SC Business Publications, LLC.
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a word from our platinum sponsor
Welcome to Energized! This is a look at the nuclear energy industry in North and South Carolina. You probably know there are nuclear power plants in both states. You might know that there are seven plants housing 12 reactors in our two states. You likely know that nuclear energy has a long history of providing our states low-cost, clean, safe electricity to Carolinians. There is also much that you might not know. Here are some of those things. Right now, nuclear plants provide more than 50% of South Carolina’s electricity and about 32% of North Carolina’s. In South Carolina, construction is under way on two more reactors at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station near Jenkinsville. Here is what you most need to know about nuclear power in the two states: A vibrant cluster of industries that design, build and supply nuclear plants has developed. It serves operations in the Carolinas and customers around the world. The industry employs more than 37,000 of our citizens. Some of the biggest names have operations here — Westinghouse, AREVA, Shaw Power Group, URS and Fluor are a few of them. Smaller companies also are learning how to become part of the industry cluster. Companies outside the Carolinas routinely call and ask about becoming part of this success. This publication will look at how the industry’s history, its present and its future offer continuing promise.
Dr. Aris Candris President & CEO The nuclear energy renaissance is energized in the Carolinas, adding to our significant presence. The 12 existing reactors, combined with projects planned for Wake County, N.C., Cherokee County, S.C., and Fairfield County, S.C. (each creating up to 700 permanent jobs), will boost the economy. Each of these selected the Westinghouse AP1000 technology, and along with several new engineering and manufacturing facilities, will be a global economic engine for the Carolinas.
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11/2/11 2:49 PM
Special
thanks To Our
Silver Sponsors Energize your career. “Our customers are counting on SCE&G to provide clean, reliable energy for the future. My work today focuses on South Carolina’s energy needs 10 years from now. The reality is as our population continues to grow so does the need for more electricity. That’s why we’re building additional nuclear generation.” SCE&G will hire hundreds of employees over several years for its new nuclear project at V.C. Summer Nuclear Station. You can be a part of South Carolina’s future by joining a company built on demonstrated industry excellence.
Johnnie Waller, SCE&G Engineer
Dedicated people. Dedicated energy. sceg.com
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Nuclear energy and the carolinas:
Clean, dependable power key to future By Jim Little, chair, Carolinas Nuclear Cluster Senior Vice President, URS Corp.
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uclear energy plants are “generators” in many ways, especially for the quality of life they generate for us. The nuclear energy generators in the Carolinas infuse a $2 billion-plus annual payroll into our economy. Nuclear facilities in general underpin a long-term economic foundation: 1. A single nuclear plant creates up to 1,800 jobs during construction. 2. Each plant regularly employs 400 to 700 people in its 60-year operating lifetime. 3. A new reactor can annually produce more than $400 million in local expenditures for goods, services and labor (based on a study of 22 reactors in the United States). 4. The facility can generate more than $20 million in state and local taxes. 5. Finally, the plant can produce at least $75 million in federal taxes. These figures are compelling in a booming economy. Consider what they mean when economic growth is a challenge as in the past several years. The energy from these plants encourages regional economic development. Businesses and industries locating here enjoy low-cost, ample and reliable electric service that the previous generation built for our benefit. Because these plants so ably support economic development, these facilities are energy and jobs generators. The plants are not carbon generators. That’s critical.
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In the carbon-constrained world we face there is only one carbonless source of base load electricity: nuclear power. Christine Todd Whitman, former EPA administrator, said: “Electric utilities are under increasing pressure to meet that demand while retiring coal-fired plants and replacing them with cleaner energy sources. By this measure, no other source comes close to competing with nuclear energy, which provided more than 70% of America’s low-carbon electricity last year.” Nuclear plants safely produce this clean electricity, too. Here’s an example: On Aug. 23 an earthquake shook the east coast. The media immediately reported that the North Anna Plant in Virginia, about a dozen miles from the epicenter of the quake, had shut down.
It’s important to note that the North Anna Plant responded to the event as it was designed. It safely shut down until it could be inspected. In fact, the Richmond
Times Dispatch reported, “The plant’s shrugging off the quake’s impact shows that it is significantly stronger than its theoretical design, Dominion Virginia Power and NRC officials said.” In a poll reported in October, 6 out of 10 Virginia voters said their opinion about the safety of the North Anna facility did not change after the earthquake; 71% approve of nuclear power. Nuclear plants in the United States have rigorous safety and environmental standards that are part of the workplace culture of the plant. Safety systems are part of a cohesive and proactive network: 1. Nuclear power plants team-up with local and state government officials and emergency response organizations to create and test emergency response plans. 2. Every U.S. nuclear power plant’s emergency response plan is reviewed and approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and each state where a plant is located. 3. Every U.S. nuclear plant’s operations are overseen daily by two onsite federal regulators. Finally, there are social benefits of a local nuclear plant. Employees in nuclear plants are well-trained, well-educated and have a long-term commitment to the community. They are involved as Little League coaches, Scout leaders and school volunteers. The people at the plant are your neighbors who put power into your home and power into the community’s quality of life.
Our need for electricity is growing. Consider the multiple appliances in our homes, or the numerous devices in our homes supposedly asleep when they are not in use, or the hand-held devices we carry. Soon we’ll have more electric vehicles to consider. Some estimates say that we’ll need 24% more power by around 2035. We especially need ample new generation of electricity as older power plants of various kinds will be retired. As we add up more uses for electricity, nuclear energy makes more sense. The Nuclear Energy Institute points out: “One nuclear energy facility could charge more than 1.8 million electric cars each night and power mass transit, homes, and businesses during the day.â€? The electricity generated by a 1,000 MW reactor at 90% capacity factor in one year is 7.9 billion KWh. That’s enough for 740,000 households. The employment, cleaner air, economic development and convenience provided by nuclear energy create careers, livelihoods and our quality of life. As we anticipate the increased demand for electricity, even as we conserve, we have a decision to make about investing in our future energy supply and security. There’s a potential shortage heading our way, especially if we do not act. Your help is needed. Let state policymakers know that you want the reliable, safe and carbon-free electricity generated by nuclear energy that has proven itself in the Carolinas so well ‌ and you want to start building now. Let’s follow in the footsteps of the previous generation. They invested in our future. Let’s pay-it-forward and ensure that energy is there for those who follow us. Jim Little, a 35-year veteran of the industry, leads the development and implementation of strategic initiatives and services at URS for domestic and international markets.
World-changing Energy research Aiken County: Leading the way in Energy Security Located in Aiken County, the Savannah River National Laboratory is the U.S. Department of Energy’s premier applied research and development laboratory. SRNL serves as a national leader in environmental management, national and homeland security, and energy security. TM
For more information:
Will Williams, Director wwilliams@edpsc.org Visit us today at
www.edpsc.org
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP
471 University Parkway | Aiken South Carolina 29801 | 803.641.3300
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The Carolinas Nuclear Cluster:
How it all began
By Scott Carlberg, coordinator of the Carolinas Nuclear Cluster
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he Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster coalesced around a major strength: Carolinians are world leaders in the design, construction and supply of electricity from nuclear energy. The Carolinas supply 11.5% of the nation’s nuclear energy. Our states are home to significant publicly traded power generating firms and major energy engineering firms. Currently, North Carolina has five nuclear reactors in operation, 32% of the state’s total electricity generation. South Carolina has seven operating reactors, 52% of the state’s total electric generation, and two new units in construction. Energy supply, economics and environmental issues align in an energy imperative. The Carolinas have a unique competitive advantage in an industry that provides a carbonless path for base load electric needs – nuclear energy. The Carolinas are a go-to source for a global nuclear expertise. We are reinforcing that status through the Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster. THE CLUSTER CONCEPT The South Carolina Council on Competiveness, better known as New Carolina, began a process in 2003 to build “clusters” as a way to increase the income of our citizens and strengthen our economic base. The Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster works under that umbrella. What is a Cluster? A cluster is a group of businesses in a region that focus on a specific industry. Silicon Valley is an example for computers. Napa Valley is an example for wine. The Carolinas have nuclear energy. 6
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Companies within clusters come together to increase efficiency and innovation within that industry, boosting the overall economy in the region. They do this by supporting new business development, enhancing existing business, recruiting new companies to an area, and helping companies within the cluster identify workforce needs and marketing strategies. Good clusters have an inherent upstream and downstream value chain. Well-run clusters spur corporate and educational innovation. They are a forum to support industry issues. Robust clusters lead to strong industry collaboration, gains in efficiency and a stronger presence in the market. The Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster is a robust organization. HOW IT BEGAN Since 2003, New Carolina built a track record of successful cluster start-ups in areas such as automotive, tourism, advanced security and insurance technology. New Carolina paved the way to define and start industry clusters in South Carolina. That success drew the attention of nuclear energy professionals in the Carolinas. They recognized that their industry had a significant presence in the Carolinas, though it was undefined across the two states and across corporate lines. When a core group of nuclear energy experts and New Carolina met, a new group took root – the Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster. The companies conducted an analysis of their industry and developed a strategic plan in 2008. That plan outlined five topical areas to build a stronger industry:
Economic development, workforce development, technology development, public policy and communications. Each area has its own task force in the Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster. Leadership of the Cluster comes from its own ranks. Duke Energy provided the inaugural chair for the Cluster; Westinghouse provided the second chair; URS Corporation has the current chair. The Cluster is more than 50 organizations strong. Its roster is a blue-ribbon group of experts who know the industry. Like the facilities these companies design and operate, the Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster is an efficient machine due to the care and thought that nuclear professionals bring to their jobs every day. Here are a few success stories from the Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster. “Leadership Energy Carolinas” is a group of emerging young professionals in the industry that have signed up for year-long personal and workplace development. The fourth class is in 2012. During the year the class goes through Carolinas’ nuclear plants, meet policymakers, talk with the press, meet executives, look at research, get to know educators and, in the end, have set the stage to help lead this industry for the next 25-plus years. This program is an investment in the nuclear industry and in the human resources of our states.
The Nuclear Cluster’s work with the Small Business Administration has laid a base of success. Among the activities: Better understanding of the supply chain: The team has examined the U.S. and global nuclear supply chain and estimated new-build demand over the next 20 years. This data is being used for a gap analysis – where opportunities exist for small business market entry – and for niche marketing for Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster members and clients Small business outreach: The project team also searched for firms that could be part of the nuclear industry based on supplier information sessions, quality assurance classes and networking among industry groups. The team contacted more than 300 businesses. The contacts were rationalized to a list of those most able to become a part of the industry.
Various group forums acquainted small business prospects with the industry: • Supplier information. Sessions were held across the region to introduce the trends in the industry, procurement processes and quality issues. • Exporting sessions. Provided basic information about exporting products outside the United States. • Quality assurance. Involved intense two-day sessions regarding processes, costs, regulations and implementation issues for suppliers to the industry. • Technology development. Working with the nuclear industry and research universities, the group is identifying new technologies that can be incorporated in the new plant designs as well as in amendments to current nuclear plants. • Economic impact. The CNC sponsored independent research
to define the economic impact of the industry in the Carolinas. The 2009 study showed that the industry puts at least $2.2 billion into our two-state economy and employs 37,000 people. SO, WHAT’S AHEAD? We will continue to provide clean and efficient electric power here in the Carolinas. We will work in other states to help them with their nuclear energy facilities. As our world looks for dependable, carbonless and cost-effective energy, we will be out in the multi-national marketplace. We intend to make sure our nuclear energy experts from the Carolinas are ready to serve people who need reliable and safe electric power. In the CNC, we will deploy our products and services worldwide and bring home dollars to the Carolinas!
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community colleges:
Intern programs help train future workers
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he numbers from the Nuclear Energy Institute are staggering. During the next five years, more than 38% of workers in the electric-power industry will be eligible to retire. More than 25,000 of them are in the nuclear sector, according to the institute, a Washington, D.C.-based policy organization. Fortunately, energy companies, universities and community colleges in the Carolinas have been collaborating to produce educated — and trained — candidates for those positions. Trained? That’s right, courtesy of intern programs that introduce engineering students to companies and, perhaps more importantly, companies to the students. Duke Energy is one of those companies. Debra Hager, strategic workforcedevelopment manager for the Charlottebased utility, says its program has been established for years. It works with UNC Charlotte, N.C. State, N.C. A&T State, Winston-Salem State and Johnson C. Smith universities in North Carolina, and the University of South Carolina and Clemson University in South Carolina. It also looks outside the Carolinas, to students in Texas, Tennessee and Ohio.
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“The managers fight for the interns, They would love to have more. The interns are given projects, very valuable work to do.” Debra Hager, Strategic workforce-development manager
“Generally, we start right now (in early fall) to go to college,” Hager says. “Our recruiter and young engineers will go there to have sessions with the students and tell them what to look forward to.” The acceptance process is rigorous, with all applications scrutinized by engineering managers. Only the best candidates are selected. The number varies from year to year, according to Duke’s needs, Hager says. Once selected, students report to the company the next summer at various nuclear sites, with some working at the corporate office as well as on the design side of operations. “The managers fight for the interns,” Hager says. “They would love to have more. The interns are given projects, very valuable work to do.” In addition to the day-to-day work, the student employees serve another purpose.
Each is assigned a first-year hire as a mentor. That gives young employees some initial management experience, Hager says. Near the end of the term, the students do a report on their projects. “It gives them a chance to work on their presentation skills, to learn to talk to a manager,” she says. Hager couldn’t estimate how many ultimately get job offers but says it is “a lot,” adding that other companies also recruit graduates who’ve been through the internships. Duke also has programs with Spartanburg (S.C.) Community College and is working with Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte to set up internships. Richard Zollinger, vice president for learning at CPCC, says the college considers it a vital part of its mission to set up a jobs pipeline for students. In addition to Duke, CPCC is
William F. Heybruck, director at the Industrial Solutions Lab at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, says his school works with nearly every area energy company to place interns, including AREVA, Siemens, Westinghouse and Shaw Group. Many are hired for energyrelated projects that become part of
student portfolios, which again boost their chances to find a job upon graduation, even if not at the company where they’ve spent time, Heybruck says. “Usually, the experience they get on the projects will interest other energy companies throughout the region,” Heybruck says.
Sometimes the best ideas are just that simple.
W E S T I N G H O U S E E L E C T R I C C O M PA N Y L L C
working with Siemens and other Charlotte-area nuclear companies to place its mechatronics students in internships. That program trains people to become electric technicians and to work in automation, electronics repairs and other fields useful to energy companies. “This is a highdemand skill set,” Zollinger says. Chris Chandler, chair of the engineering and technical department and interim chair of the industrial department at Midlands Technical College in Columbia, S.C., says his school has an internship program with South Carolina Electric & Gas, a division of Cayce, S.C.-based SCANA Corp. “It’s not a typical internship,” Chandler says. “Then again, almost nothing you do in the nuclear business is typical.” About 15 are selected to work six weeks at SCE&G’s V.C. Summer nuclear plant in Jenkinsville, S.C. “They call it boot camp,” Chandler says. “It’s a program designed to let these people, who have a significant amount of training, go to the plant and work under very careful supervision.” SCE&G backs the intern program because of the great need for a highly skilled nuclear workforce both now and in the future, said spokeswoman Rhonda O’Banion. “Working at a nuclear construction site and at a nuclear power plant is unique and challenging, so we have been actively recruiting the very best,” she said. “Our summer internship program is a key component. We work with Clemson University, South Carolina State University, Francis Marion University and the University of South Carolina to identify interested students already in the process of earning a degree in a nuclear-related field. The internship program offers these students hands-on experience at an operating nuclear power plant. “We also started an internship program in 2007 for high school students in the Fairfield County School District. Additionally, we have partnerships with several technical colleges.”
When we designed the AP1000 nuclear reactor, we asked ourselves which would be more reliable, multiple arrays of electro-mechanical systems or gravity. To us, the answer is obvious, which is why the AP1000 nuclear power plant makes use of the stable forces of nature to keep the nuclear reactor safe after any unforeseen event. No need for electrical power. No need for cooling water (that is already inside the robust containment building). No need for an operator to touch a single button for a full 72 hours. Check us out at www.westinghousenuclear.com
ENERGIZING THE WORLD FOR 125 YEARS
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Supply and demand:
industry strives to replace aging work force As the anticipated date nears for hiring construction workers to build two proposed nuclear reactors in South Carolina, technical colleges and industry partners are working together to help train the next-generation construction work force.
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wo years ago, officials from The Shaw Group of Charlotte and Midlands Technical College in Columbia met to discuss workforce needs and how to fill them. The Shaw Group has been contracted by SCE&G, a subsidiary of SCANA, to build two new nuclear reactors at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Jenkinsville, S.C. The Shaw Group anticipates that during the construction phase, the company may need up to 4,000 workers, including pipefitters, welders, electricians, plumbers and more. “We met with the folks at Shaw so they could understand what programs we have in place and so we could understand what we needed to create to suit their needs,” said Barrie Kirk, vice president of Corporate and Continuing Education and Economic Development at Midlands Technical College. “We have since tweaked and expanded our welding program and added a total of 24 welding booths. We have customized an electrician apprenticeship program just
EDUCATING & TRAINING
THE NEXT GENERATION UNIVERSITY NUCLEAR ENGINEERING PROGRAMS IN THE U.S.
over 30 programs 1,500 undergradute students enrolled 1,300 graduate students enrolled
COMMERCIAL NUCLEAR POWER’S DEMAND FOR ENGINEERS BY DEGREE
10
10 % nuclear engineers 90 % other types of engineers
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for them. We also have a pipefitter program that we put in place at their request,” Kirk said. In addition, Midlands Tech worked with Fairfield County to open a Quick Jobs training center in Winnsboro and several programs housed there are a direct result of Shaw’s needs. “That’s how we always respond to new and expanding industries. Our name says ‘technical college,’ but it’s all about what the community needs us to be,” Kirk said. The reality is that the U.S. nuclear industry will need thousands of workers to replace retirees and to build and operate new power plants. “As an example, one skill set for us that is very important and one we need to keep a close eye on is welders,” said Jeffrey Merrifield, Shaw senior vice president. “When we look demographically, we find that a number of skilled welders are in their 50s and 60s and reaching the later stages of their career.” Partnerships between Shaw and Midlands Tech, as well as Florence-Darlington Technical College, York Technical College and others, are helping to train the next-generation construction workforce. One main attraction to the industry is simply that jobs are needed in a state that is battling a high unemployment rate. Also, these jobs are well-paying jobs, as nuclear plants pay an average of 35% higher wages than area than average salaries, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute. Training programs for the skills needed to build the nuclear plants
range from 16 to 20 weeks and result in a certification for additional training. Shaw may also use the Center for Construction Education and Research and the Construction Users Roundtable as a resource for skilled laborers. “And there are many others we wish to employ in the local area,” he said.
In addition to the units at Jenkinsville, S.C., Shaw is building two more reactor units for Southern Co. at its Vogtle Plant near Waynesboro, Ga. Together, the projects in Georgia and South Carolina are leading the way for other projects that have been proposed for the Southeast. Duke Energy has applied for licensing to build up to two reactors at its plant in Cherokee County, S.C., but doesn’t anticipate getting licensing for a few years down the road. Progress Energy also has submitted two combined applications for up to two reactors each at locations in Wake County in North Carolina and Levy County in Florida, but has not yet decided whether it will build the units. “We have indicated in both cases that we have not made a final decision to move forward and are keeping those options open because we feel it has to be part of the future energy mix,” said Mike Hughes, of Progress Energy. “A key part of understanding the implications of nuclear and what it means for the future is understanding what the workforce needs are going to be,” Hughes said. “We have a very highly skilled and trained workforce currently … and we need to make sure we have a good stream of new talent coming into the industry and into our company.” Like SCE&G, Duke and Progress Energy will outsource the construction of their nuclear reactors, if they choose to build them, so the need to hire skilled laborers for the construction of the plants would lie with the contractors. “But this is certainly a reality in our industry,” Hughes said. “There is a shortage, or potential for a shortage of welders, pipefitters, etc. We have to perform maintenance at our nuclear and coal-fired plants and we have to schedule contract welders and pipefitters many months ahead of time because they are in very strong demand around the country.”
CH2M HILL specializes in managing and operating nuclear facilities and providing innovative clean-up and environmental remediation of complex nuclear programs and projects around the world. CH2M HILL is the nuclear operations contractor responsible for material handling and processing operations, spent fuel operations, facility operations and environmental cleanup and decommissioning operations for contaminated sites in the U.S. DOE nuclear weapons complex and at United Kingdom Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) sites in Great Britain.
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Learn more about the nuclear renaissance happening in the South Carolina Midstate at www.nuhubsc.com.
1000 Catawba St., Suite 130 Columbia, SC 29201 803-354-5720 info@engenuitysc.com D
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Higher Ed’s Challenge:
Schools lurING students into STEM programs
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etting students interested in math and science necessary to pursue engineering careers – particularly in the nuclear field – is a challenge faced by both the industry and higher education. A 2008 report by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Public Agenda found that while parents and students acknowledge the importance of mathematics, science and technology, they failed to see why it's important for their own studies. For some students, pursuing an engineering degree may be seen as too difficult and just not as much fun as other majors. Also, teachers might lack the skills or know-how to get students interested in an engineering career. Colleges in the Carolinas are tackling the problem with a variety programs. Here’s a sampling: Clemson University Recognizing that South Carolina schools are in need of more qualified teachers, Clemson educators are working
to attract teachers from a previously untapped resource: Clemson students in engineering and science majors. The TigersTeach Noyce Scholarship Initiative will provide $10,000 scholarships to 30 undergraduate or graduate students from the science, technology, engineering or math – or STEM – disciplines to enroll in an undergraduate dual-degree program or enter the Master of Arts in Teaching program. Students in their first or second year of a STEM major would receive scholarships to enter the dual-degree program in their junior or senior years. They would continue working in their majors, plus earn a degree in STEM education. Those who are in their junior or senior years would finish those degrees, then enter the teaching in secondary science and mathematics master’s program. They would receive the scholarships during their senior undergraduate year and a stipend from the Noyce program for the year in the Master of Arts in Teaching program. Students in TigersTeach will learn from veteran scientists and teachers, participate in professional conferences and work with local schools and agencies. North Carolina State University A five-year study at N.C. State, announced in September, could help reverse the nation’s decline in production of scientists, engineers and mathematicians. The school will gauge whether its elementary teacher preparation model – which provides more rigorous undergraduate course work in science and math disciplines than other elementary teacher preparation programs – can be combined with more careful tracking of first- and
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second-year teachers to positively impact student achievement. The goal of Project ATOMS (Accomplished Elementary Teachers of Mathematics and Science) is to improve the ability of teachers to provide high-quality science and mathematics education for all students. Ellen McIntyre, head of the N.C. State’s elementary education department, said the study shines a spotlight on how teachereducation programs prepare teachers for careers in the classroom. Providing elementary-school students with better experiences in science and math could be a way to increase interest in science careers. “Without a firm foundation in elementary school, we can’t get young people interested in entering science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, the so-called STEM disciplines,” McIntyre says. “But we realize, too, that elementary-school teachers need to have stronger knowledge of science and math subjects and need to be better able to successfully teach this content to young children and get them excited about science and math. S.C. State University The university, in collaboration with Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, conducted an Earth and Space Science Workshop for high school teachers on the campus of S.C. State, which partnered with two additional minority-serving institutions – in New York and Houston – to share educational experiences through workshops and development training in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “The objectives of the program are to disseminate new information to high school teachers pertaining to the earth-science related field, astronomy,
astrobiology, atmospheric science and Project Lead the Way (PLTW),” said Donald Walter, professor of physics at S.C. State. PLTW is a non-profit organization that prepares students to be leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics majors, and to make meaningful, revolutionary contributions to the world. The organization also partners with middle schools and high schools to provide a rigorous, relevant STEM education and student career opportunities in the STEM related fields. “S.C. State is also building relationships with the K-12 community for the recruiting of at least two juniors or seniors from participating high school programs with an interest in these fields,” said Walter. University of South Carolina During National Engineers Week, USC’s College of Engineering and
Computing opened its doors and invited the public to learn about the diversity of the engineering and computing fields. That included an open house with hands-on activities such as controlling a robot in a game of tag, launching a soda bottle rocket, putting on a laser light show or taking a ride on a Segway powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The program offered an “opportunity for us to tell prospective students that engineering and computing are wonderful careers that will keep you excited for your entire working life, allow you to travel and meet many different people from all over the world, and allow you to have the greatest impact on the quality of people’s lives,” said Tony Ambler, dean of USC’s College of Engineering and Computing. “I don’t think that the majority of people do know what engineers actually do,” Ambler said.
“Engineers and computer scientists create and design cool gadgets, they create and build space rockets, aircraft, telephones, power creation and distribution, waste processing, water conservation/cleaning. In fact any facet of our day-to-day lives has been created and provided by engineers.” News releases from Clemson University, North Carolina State University, S.C. State University, and the University of South Carolina were used in compiling this report.
Answering tomorrow’s energy needs... today The College of Engineering and Computing at the University of South Carolina is building one of the country’s most comprehensive energy research centers. With the support of our eight SmartState Center of Economic Excellence research centers and our partnerships with companies such as Duke Energy and General Atomics, our almost 50 faculty members who focus on energy-related research are answering the needs for safe, reliable and affordable energy sources and educating tomorrow’s leaders in the energy-related fields. Our strides in research garnered our College top recognition for faculty research productivity by the National Research Council. Three of our departments have achieved national status by the NRC: Electrical Engineering is in the top 10 in the nation, Chemical Engineering, top 30 in the nation and Mechanical Engineering, top 35 in the nation. Additionally, all of our departments were ranked #1 in South Carolina for faculty research productivity by the NRC. Leading the way in research and education in the State of South Carolina, we are Carolina’s College of Engineering and Computing. For more information, contact: Dr. Travis Knight, Director, Nuclear Engineering Telephone: 803-777-1465 Web: www.me.sc.edu/nuclear
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ready to hire :
In the nuclear industry – careers are available
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n the Carolinas there are some 37,000 employees who are part of the nuclear energy generation network. For decades they have kept the lights on for the rest of us. The nuclear industry faces an issue similar to other industries – the coming turnover in the aging workforce and finding new people to help the industry grow. Good people are needed. As a nation we are part of a multi-national workforce paradox. A Manpower Group 2011 study says, “The world stands on the brink of a global employability crisis – an over-supply of available workers and an under-supply of qualified talent.” It says one in three employers worldwide cannot find the talent they need. The 2011 Towers Watson Talent Management and Rewards Survey, a study of 316 North American companies, says this in a news release: “Nearly six out of 10 U.S. companies (59%) reported problems attracting critical-skill employees this year. That is an increase from 52% last year and 28% in 2009. Forty-two percent also reported difficulty attracting top-performing employees. Additionally, more than one-third (36%) reported difficulty retaining critical-skill employees, an increase from 31% last year and 16% in 2009.” Jobs are evolving. “In 1991, fewer than 50% of U.S. jobs required skilled workers. By 2015, 76% of U.S. jobs will require highly skilled workers, e.g., those with special skills in science, technology, engineering, or math,” says the American Society of Training and Development. Unskilled jobs have been shipped overseas. It’s easy to see the trend. The skills crisis is here. Now. It’s been documented in many places.
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In “Preparing North Carolina’s Workforce and Businesses for the Global Economy,” a June 2011 report: “At least 42%, perhaps many more, of the new jobs being created in North Carolina will require at minimum some postsecondary education, many in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math— STEM—disciplines.” Nationwide, with a potential 30% retirement rate in five years in the nuclear ranks, 25,000 more workers may be required by 2015. The Manpower Group’s top four “hardest to fill jobs globally” already include three critical to nuclear energy: engineers, skilled trades and technicians. Add this to the mix: American universities annually graduate some 60,000 engineers to serve all industries.
A McKinsey report, “An Economy That Works,” frames it up: “Despite rising educational attainment and large investments by the federal government in education and job training, employers say they cannot find enough workers with specific skills. Meanwhile students lack a clear picture of which jobs to prepare themselves for.” With all this in mind, Carolinas young people should consider the nuclear energy industry. The benefits: The demand for good people, good compensation, working with smart people and providing a rewarding service to our nation by supporting its economy and energy security. Also, producing energy is an industry that cannot be shipped out of the country.
Jobs at nuclear power plants
Pay Rates
0 - 67k 68 - 79k 80 - 100k
Here’s a look at some of the critical jobs at a nuclear power station and the median salaries for those positions:
How does a young person get trained?
Young people considering the nuclear energy field should take note: Roughly 45% of engineers in nuclear are mechanical engineers, 20% electrical, followed by civil, chemical and radiological disciplines. About 10% have nuclear engineering degrees. In the Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster there are universities with excellent engineering degree programs: Clemson, North Carolina State University, South Carolina State University, The University of South Carolina and UNC Charlotte. A four-year degree may not be a first choice. Craft workers are a major part of the nuclear workforce. There is a place in the industry for good students with technical associate’s degrees. The Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster includes these tech colleges that serve some aspect of the nuclear industry: Aiken Tech (Aiken), Central Piedmont Community College (Charlotte), Francis Marion (Florence), Gaston College (Gastonia), Midlands Tech (Columbia), Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College (Orangeburg), Spartanburg Community College (Spartanburg) and York Tech (Rock Hill). Employers are deeply involved in all of these programs. For instance, SCANA is highly hands-on for its talent. “Working with Midlands Technical College we train candidates to become future nuclear power plant operators. This program includes a ‘Boot Camp’ at the plant,” says Scott Macfarland, who manages SCANA’s workforce planning. Good technical people transition into nuclear from other industries, too. Karen Garcia of RCS Nuclear, a staffing provider in Aiken and Charlotte says, “Companies that support the nuclear industry are exploring hiring people from other regulated areas such as DOD or pharmaceutical, who understand a rigorous safety and performance culture.” RCS Nuclear has helped place engineers and technical people into the nuclear field.
Entry-Level Engineer
Skills Needed: Flexibility in times of change, good analytical thinking and decision-making , ability to meet deadlines, ability to work in teams, strong work ethic. Education/Experience: B.S. degree in engineering or the equivalent. An engineer-in-training certification also may be preferred. Salary: $64,911
Experienced Engineer
Skills Needed: Must possess superior technical expertise as either a multi-disciplined technical leader or as a specific discipline expert. Education/Experience: A professional engineering registration and advanced degree or coursework may be required; typically minimum of 10 years of experience required. Salary: $93,303
Mechanical Technician
Skills Needed: Ability to troubleshoot, inspect and rework a variety of valves, pumps and related equipment, ability to coordinate and work with other maintenance personnel and work groups. Education/Experience: High school diploma or GED. Some employers require an associates degree. Salary: $67,517
Chemistry Technician
Radiation Protection Technician Skills Needed: Supports radiation protection instrumentation calibration procedures and instructions, evaluates radiological survey results, establishes means for plant workers to limit the amount of radiation they receive. Education/Experience: High school diploma or GED; two years of experience and on-the-job training; successful completion of the required training and examination. Salary: $69,056
Non-Licensed Operator
Skills Needed: Have knowledge of system components, and have ability to communicate clearly and exercise immediate judgment during equipment malfunctions. Education/Experience:High school diploma or GED is required, together with previous experience and one year of training. An associates degree may be preferred. Salary: $70,793
Senior Reactor Operator
Skills Needed: Must be knowledgeable about state and federal regulations, guidelines, controls and procedures to protect the public and plant workers; have ability to implement and maintain effective planning and operating practices; and have ability to supervise plant operations and the ability to direct and implement emergency operation procedures and event reporting. Education/Experience: High school diploma or GED; five or more years of experience as a reactor operator; valid U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission senior reactor operator license. A bachelor’s degree also may be required. Salary: $85,426
Skills Needed: Able to monitor, review and evaluate chemistry control conditions and initiate activities to correct adversely trending or our of specification conditions in a timely manner. Education/Experience: High school diploma or GED, including chemistry and math courses, and usually two years of experience. Salary: $64,911 Sources: Nuclear Energy Institute, U.S. Labor Department D
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ECONOMIC IMPACT :
Nuclear packs $2.3 billion punch
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he economic clout generated by the Carolinas’ nuclear power business produces more than $2.3 billion in wages, provides 37,000 jobs and pours $750 million into state and local government coffers. “Our nuclear cluster is both an important source of energy to residents and businesses, as well as a major player in Carolinas’ job and income creation,” said Clemson University’s Mark Henry, author of the study published by the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness. The report, “The Economic Impact of the Nuclear Cluster in the Carolinas,” showed that in the nuclear energy industry in North Carolina and South Carolina the benefits come from private sector firms and public sector participation. Four utilities — Duke Energy, Progress Energy, South Carolina Electric and Gas and Santee Cooper — own seven commercial reactor units in the Carolinas. (SCE&G and Santee Cooper are partners in the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station at Jenkinsville, S.C.) The facilities are supported by major firms in the nuclear supply chain, including engineering and construction services such as AREVA NP, the Shaw Group, Fluor and URS; manufacturers GE Hitachi, Westinghouse and Siemens; an assortment of firms that make valves, motors, and pumps; maintenance companies; and service firms such as security companies and laboratories. In addition, major public-sector ventures in the Carolinas nuclear cluster are at the Savannah River and Barnwell sites. Both include private-sector participation. Barnwell hosts a low-level radioactive waste disposal site operated by Chem-Nuclear under a South Carolina state license. 16
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The U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site is a major source of defense-related and commercial nuclear activities, including the processing of nuclear waste into fuel for commercial reactors. The site also houses the Savannah River National Laboratory. The three utilities in the region are planning to build as many as eight new nuclear reactors on existing and new sites. SCE&G and Santee Cooper have begun work on two 1,110-megawatt reactor units at the V.C. Summer plant in Jenkinsville, S.C. Just building a reactor unit generates an economic punch. For example, the projected cost of the SCE&G and Santee Cooper project, scheduled to be completed in 2019, is $9.8 billion, and much of that trickles down into the regional supply chain. According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, a single new nuclear power plant requires approximately: •
• • • •
400,000 cubic yards (305,840 cubic meters) of concrete — as much concrete as was used to build the Pentagon; 66,000 tons of steel — the same amount used to build the Empire State Building; 44 miles (71 km.) of piping; 300 miles (483 km.) of electric wiring — enough to stretch from Boston to Philadelphia; and 130,000 electrical components.
Sourcing goods from small and local firms is an industry aim. At an annual energy CEO panel in Charlotte, N.C., last April, one multinational nuclear executive
cited a goal to source 90% domestically for its U.S. projects, with small firms playing a key role. Another benefit of nuclear power is the fact that the jobs can’t be exported. Also, employees are high quality by the very nature of their precise and thorough work, well-educated and well-paid. According to the Clemson study, a plurality of employees earn between $75,001 and $100,000. Second in frequency is between $100,001 and $150,000 per year. Nuclear power also offers a stable, affordable and reliable energy source to industry. Nuclear is the low-cost producer of base-load electricity, with production costs declining more than 30% in 10 years, averaging 2.0 cents per kilowatthour (includes costs of operations and maintenance, nuclear fuel and paying for the management of used fuel). Less than 30% of nuclear production costs are fuel, compared to 80-90 percent for fossil-fired generation. Nuclear is less susceptible to swings in fuel costs, which means better price stability.
NUCLeAR CLUSTER 2011 BY LOCATIONS
Charlotte, N.C. AREVA Central Piedmont Community College Duke Energy Electric Power Research Institute Hendrick Construction J-E-T-S Nuclear Consultants K & L Gates Shaw Group Siemens Energy – I & C Toshiba American Nuclear Energy UNC Charlotte Westinghouse Zachry Nuclear Engineering Orangeburg, S.C. Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College S.C. State University Greenville, S.C. Brillig Systems Clemson University (Clemson, S.C.) Fluor GEL Laboratories Columbia, S.C. Engenuity Midlands Technical College New Carolina SCANA (Cayce, S.C.) South Carolina Department of Commerce University of South Carolina Westinghouse
Others in N.C. Columbiana Hi Tech LLC, Greensboro, N.C. Gaston College, Dallas, N.C. Tindall Corporation, Washington, N.C. WACHS Services, Belmont, N.C.
Raleigh, N.C. (area) Global Service Solutions (Cary, N.C.) North Carolina Department of Commerce N.C. State University Progress Energy Spartanburg, S.C. Spartanburg Community College Westinghouse
Florence, S.C. Francis Marion University
Aiken, S.C. Aiken Technical College ASCO Valve/Emerson Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness Economic Development Partnership – Aiken/Edgefield Counties RCS Nuclear Savannah River National Laboratory Savannah River Nuclear Solutions SCUREF-SUNRISE SRS – Community Re-Use Organization Tetra Tech
Rock Hill, S.C. URS Corporation (Fort Mill, S.C.) WEC Welding & Machining (Rock Hill) York Technical College (Rock Hill) Charleston, S.C. Global Quality Assurance Jacobs Engineering (Goose Creek, S.C.) Pegasus Nuclear (Goose Creek, S.C.) SCRA
New Carolina Economic Impact Study Conducted by Clemson University, Oct. 2009
The economic impact study outlines four critical areas of impact of the nuclear power industry
Current Jobs Direct 3,822 Total 9,256
N.C. S.C.
Direct 14,986 Total 28,074
Current LABOR
Property Income
N.C. S.C.
N.C. S.C.
N.C. S.C.
Direct $1.088 billion Total $1.276 billion
Total $0.437 billion
Direct $0.323 billion Total $0.451 billion
Direct $1.324 billion Total $1.846 billion
Direct $0.973 billion Total $1.085 billion
Tax Revenues
Total $0.314 billion
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Well-Paying Jobs $75,001 To $100,000 Nuclear Energy’s Share Of Total Electricity Generation 30.8% NC 51.4% SC Combined, North and South Carolina have more than 11% of the nation’s nuclear capacity. Plant Construction: 20 Years Of Jobs & Income Construction Peek 54,000 People Operation Phase 17,200 People 17 e
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Westinghouse electric company :
Columbia nuclear Plant still sets records
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estinghouse Electric Co. no longer makes light bulbs, nor many of the consumer electric products many people grew up with. But since the 1960s, it has continuously turned out nuclear fuel for power plants that keep America’s light bulbs burning. The uranium fuel rod assemblies that roll out of the Columbia plant year after year keep about 55% of the nation’s nuclear power plants operating, and the fuel fabrication facility continues to set records for production of the finished uranium rods that fuel the nation’s economy. “Most people are surprised we are here,” said Cary Alstadt, vice president of Westinghouse’s U.S. fuel operations said of the Columbia fuel plant, which began operations in 1969. “Most people think we are making light bulbs and refrigerators,” he added, noting that while Westinghouse remains a consumer brand,
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The U-235 isotope used in weapons warheads is concentrated higher than 50%. But it is blended down to less than 5% for nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes. none of those everyday products are made by the Westinghouse Electric Co. The company today is a far different entity from its consumer product roots. Today, its parent company is the Japanese conglomerate Toshiba, which purchased Westinghouse about five years ago to complement its existing nuclear products line. Some 60% of U.S. reactors are Westinghouse pressurized water reactors. The Shaw Group, which is building the two AP1000 reactors for S.C. Electric and Gas Co. in Fairfield County also owns a stake in Westinghouse. Several factors contribute to the company’s success. It has been picking up market share from competitors that make the fuel rods. There are only a few companies in the world that make the fuel assemblies, and Westinghouse has been expanding its reach globally, selling even to the state-owned nuclear power company of France. Areva, another French company and Westinghouse competitor, shut down a plant recently in Lynchburg, Va. Meanwhile, the nuclear industry is beginning to grow worldwide. The Tennessee Valley Authority is bringing online a reactor that it built, and then mothballed, in the 1980s. The Watts Bar facility will be the first reactor brought online in more than 20 years. Westinghouse expects to begin shipping fuel rods to the plant this year. Dave Precht, plant manager at the Columbia Westinghouse facility, said he’s already begun making fuel assemblies for the new AP1000 reactors being built in
China. Westinghouse has made 37 assemblies for the first Chinese reactor using the Westinghouse AP1000 design, which can use up to 157 of the fuel assemblies. The Bluff Road facility also plays a role in the worldwide effort to reduce weaponsgrade uranium stockpiles. Precht said some of the assemblies built there contain uranium that once was part of Russian and American nuclear bomb-grade materials. The U-235 isotope used in weapons warheads is concentrated higher than 50%. But it is blended down to less than 5% for nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes. Westinghouse has become the premier supplier of uranium fuel assemblies in North America. There are three such plants in the United States. The Westinghouse plant on Bluff Road, which employs 1,300 is the largest facility of its type in the world by volume of fuel shipped. It also chalks up the widest variety of products shipped, Alstadt said. Westinghouse, in addition to the complete fuel assemblies, produces in its Ogden, Utah, plant the zirconium metal parts that hold the uranium in place. Zirconium is the best metal to use in a reactor, Alstadt said, because it has the least reaction to radiation from the uranium core. The strength of its market share means Westinghouse is likely to continue to be a major contributor to the Columbia economy for the foreseeable future. With 1,186 acres surrounding the 550,000-square-foot plant, Alstadt said the Bluff Road site would be a logical place to grow should the nuclear industry enjoy a renaissance and expansion.
The Nuclear Supply Chain:
Are There Possibilities to Re-shore? By Scott Mason and Bill Ferrell
A
Scott Mason
Bill Ferrel
Editor’s Note from the Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster (CNC): The CNC has economic development of our states as a core mission. Recently the CNC commissioned a study through Clemson to look at the supply chain of the nuclear industry and consider what parts or services are currently not a part of U.S.-based firms and could potentially be at-risk because they are offshore; where could disruptions possibly occur? These products and services can be targets for “re-shoring” into the Carolinas, or having current U.S. businesses expand their lines into the nuclear arena. This is a high-level look at the study that was done for members of the CNC that is intended to help us better view the role we can play to bolster U.S. energy and economic security.
lthough new nuclear power generation facilities have not been built in the United States for more than 20 years, there still has been considerable construction associated with nuclear power. New nuclear facilities continue to be built in other parts of the world and operational activities and plant life extensions in the United States continue. At one time, many of the qualified suppliers that supported the construction efforts for the nuclear sector were in the United States, but now they are located around the world. For certain components the only supplier is now outside the United States. The efficiency and effectiveness of the global supply chain, and the supporting logistics operations today, easily move materials from and to anywhere they are needed. Heavy industry has been moving around the world for decades – for example, from the United States to Japan to China and South Korea – to regions with fewer environmental restrictions and lower labor costs, yet with a sufficiently skilled labor force to perform the work. It is hard to imagine this situation abating in the near future. There are a number of opportunities beyond heavy industry for firms based in the United States to supply the nuclear industry. For example, companies that supply components for fossil-powered electricity generating facilities, and even chemical plants, might be able to supply components to portions of nuclear power plants simply because the parts are not located in the key “safety-related” area of the plant.
There are also some basic components, such as pipe spools, that are typically produced close to construction sites. The difference between non-nuclear and nuclear components for this type of part is often the quality-related tracking and testing. So a company that supplies pipe spools and has multiple fabrication shops around the country to supply the petroleum industry or new fossil plants could obtain nuclear certification without tremendous hardship and expense and could quickly be positioned to supply the nuclear industry. The Clemson research team also viewed this situation through the lens of a classic supply chain problem which leads to an assessment of supply chain risk. Not nuclear risk – but other risk factors that could disrupt the supply chain that delivers materials to the United States nuclear industry. This is especially important if more new builds occur and the worldwide demand for materials and components increases dramatically. We believe that while many of the unique, nuclear-specific, low volume items and components for nuclear power plants that require highly specialized equipment and expertise to manufacture and fabricate will continue to be produced globally and transported to the plant locations, higher volume components in nuclear power plants such as pumps, pipes, valves, and tanks as well as some of the lower volume components that do not require highly specialized fabrication facilities hold opportunities for re-shoring in the United States. This would mitigate the supply chain risk to a large degree; the question becomes one of building a business case.
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The Supply Chain The GEL Group Inc. Operating in Charleston, S.C., since 1981, The GEL Group Inc. provides laboratory analysis, engineering support and geophysical services. GEL develops solutions and provides data for more than half the nuclear power plants in the U.S. and facilities across the globe. GEL Laboratories offers a wide array of radiochemistry, chemistry, radiobioassay services and radioactive waste analytical support. GEL Engineering offers environmental support, engineering support, stack testing and land surveying. The company also develops unique testing methods to assist facilities with their specific needs including isokinetic flow evaluation, environmental program testing and atmosphere testing.
Tetra Tech Inc. Tetra Tech Inc. is a leading provider of nuclear power plant re-licensing services in the United States and a key provider to utilities and other engineering firms in the preparation of license applications for new nuclear power plants. Tetra Tech has completed license renewal environmental reports for more than 30 applicants. At the Savannah River Site, Tetra Tech has provided more than 20 years of contaminant transport modeling/environmental services to evaluate groundwater remedies, develop reactor-building decontamination and decommissioning alternatives and support tank closures. Tetra Tech’s nuclear engineering services include: extended power uprates; site specific investigations (cultural, biological); nuclear quality assurance; baseline audits; owner engineer support; and licensing and permitting. Tetra Tech is based in California and has more than 330 offices worldwide, including locations in Aiken and Clemson in South Carolina.
Tiger Controls
Tiger Controls is a Greensboro-based registered diverse minority supplier of electrical, electronic and industrial supplies to utilities, contractors for the Departments of Defense and Energy, as well as manufacturers of paper goods and cellular phones. Tiger serves more than eight utilities, supplying them with electrical breakers and meters, electronic test equipment, industrial supplies and a wide array of other components. Tiger Controls was recognized as one of the Top 100 Small Businesses in North Carolina.
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Encompass Machines Encompass Machines in Rock Hill, S.C., designs and manufactures orbital and robotic welding equipment. This equipment is used to perform welds in locations that are difficult for a person to access. Encompass Machines will supply some of the equipment needed to weld together the various modular assemblies that will be used to house the new nuclear reactors at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Jenkinsville, S.C., and the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, near Waynesboro, Ga. The company also trains experienced welders to use their equipment, as well as offers internships and other training opportunities to students in the welding program at York Technical College.
RCS Nuclear RCS Nuclear is a staffing company that recruits engineers and technical professionals for the nuclear, energy and information technology industries worldwide. Established in 1994 in Aiken, S.C., RCS was ranked the No. 1 Fastest Growing New Small Business in America by Entrepreneur magazine in 1997. Since 1994, RCS has added an office Charlotte, N.C., and has hired more than 3,000 employees for numerous projects worldwide. It has staffed employees for nuclear projects including: Liquid Waste Operations at the Savannah River Site in Aiken; design and construction of the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility at SRS; design and construction of the Salt Waste Processing Facility at SRS; and major and modification projects at Duke Energy Carolinas nuclear and fossil facilities.
Tindall Corp. Tindall Corp. is one of the largest pre-cast concrete manufacturing companies in the United States. The privately held company is headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C., and has five manufacturing facilities in the United States. Tindall Corp. designs, manufactures and installs precast concrete primarily for industrial structures. Its products for the nuclear industry include large cooling tower structures, underground electrical distribution trenches and utility tunnels. Tindall will continue to expand this portion of its business, particularly with efforts to develop modular building solutions for the nuclear power industry.
nuclear’s future :
Small reactors could make big impact
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he future of small modular reactor manufacturing could well be in the Midlands of South Carolina. Two companies seeking regulatory review and licenses for SMR designs indicate Columbia would be at the top of their list if they build a factory to manufacture the small-scale nuclear power units. Such a commitment could deliver a huge economic impact to the Carolinas. It’s estimated that $100 billion worth of small modular reactions might be produced annually and shipped through the Port of Charleston. “I can’t commit to it now, but if it happens, we’d be foolish not to consider this region,” said Michael Anness, manager for advanced reactors at Westinghouse Electric Co. Westinghouse already has a nuclear fuels plant in Columbia that has been in operation for decades and employs as many as 1,500 people. Anness and others said that building new nuclear reactors for nationwide electric power generation could boost demand for the uranium fuel assemblies built here, and could lead to expansion of the Columbia nuclear fuels plant. “We’re looking at this as an opportunity to grow in an area where we already have investment and experience,” Anness said. Pierre Oneid, president of SMR LLC, a subsidiary of Holtec International, also said Columbia would be high on its list of locations for a small modular reactor manufacturing plant if its design wins Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval. “I envision a factory here that would ship these SMR units all over the world,” Oneid said. Holtec is a major player in the management of spent nuclear fuel assemblies. But it
has decided to expand its business line by proposing its own small modular reactor design, Oneid said. “For $700 million I can deliver a 140-megawatt unit to you,” Oneid said. Experts note that the cost of a traditional, large-scale, 1,000- to 1,200-MW reactor is $6 billion to $8 billion. The smaller, incremental cost of small modular reactor units of less than 300 MW would help utilities avoid those huge investments that, if they fail, can risk the existence of the company. The Obama administration is proposing a demonstration project funded with $450 million that would be divided between two reactors, with matching funds from
private investors. That would put the minimum investment for an operational demonstration project at $450 million. S.C. Electric and Gas Co., the Savannah River National Laboratory near Aiken and several small modular reactor designers are interested in bringing one of the demonstration projects to the region. Potential sites for such a project include the Savannah River Site, the Parr site owned by SCE&G at Jenkinsville, or a major military base in the region. The U.S. Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission classify designs of less than 300 MW as small modular reactors. In concept, they would be built in assembly line fashion in a factory and shipped by truck or train to their operation site. They could also be shipped through the Port of Charleston to buyers in other countries.
Westinghouse’s design of a small modular reactor could be built in a factory and shipped by truck or train. Graphic courtesy of Westinghouse Electric Company
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Nuclear energy and the Carolinas:
Citizens say plant is A good, safe neighbor
JENKINSVILLE, S.C. – Following a
day of briefings and a tour of the construction site at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station, Ronnie Givens said he was more than impressed. “Wow,” said Givens, of Summerville, S.C. Then he added: “The first thing on the agenda was safety, and safety was woven throughout the presentations. It started with safety and ended with safety.” Givens’ thoughts about the safety culture at the nuclear power plant were echoed by many of some two dozen people South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. invited to see how construction is progressing on two new reactor units at the Fairfield County power plant. The group’s support for nuclear at least mirrors national public opinion, according to a September survey for the Nuclear Energy Institute. The poll, conducted six months after an earthquake and tsunami seriously damaged a nuclear power station in Japan, found 62% of Americans favor nuclear energy. The survey also found majorities in all regions of the United States believed building a new reactor would be acceptable at the nearest nuclear power plant site. “I don’t have any reservations about nuclear power,” said Lou Edens, of Mount Pleasant, S.C. “It’s clean energy. It’s
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dependable. And it’s a good backup for tough regulations that could come down the pike for using coal.” Added Jimmy Bagwell, “I don’t think the people of South Carolina have anything to worry about. That’s because where safety is concerned nobody is more involved and concerned with safety” than SCE&G. The Summer power plant, which began operations in 1984, is regarded as a worthy neighbor in this rural Fairfield County community about 26 miles northwest of Columbia. Area residents cite its solid safety record, jobs, and the $20 million a year it generates in local property taxes. But people are just as impressed with the safety culture that they say is practiced daily at the plant and throughout the nuclear power industry. The focus on safety is just as intense at the 600-acre construction site where about 1,000 workers are building two Westinghouse AP1000, 1,110 megawatt reactor units.
“What is unique about the nuclear industry that I really appreciate is that they work collaboratively together to learn from each other, both with what has worked well and what hasn’t,” said Susan Winsor, president of Aiken Technical College in Aiken, S.C. “There are no industrial secrets.” During the tour, Alan Torres, general manager of nuclear construction, noted that since site preparation work began in 2009, workers had racked up 3 million man-hours without an accident. The streak was broken when a worker bumped his head against some lumber and suffered a neck injury, Torres said. “It’s so incredibly fine-tuned, that’s what impresses me,” Winsor said. “If some of our other industries operated this way we wouldn’t have industrial accidents. “There’s a mindset in how they approach work that I have never seen in any other industry that I have had the opportunity to work with. I have great faith in our nuclear industry.”
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Nuclear enjoys strong public support A public opinion survey of 300 adults who live within 10 miles of the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Fairfield County, S.C., found that nuclear power enjoys strong public support among those who live closest to the plant. The survey was taken June 21-25, 2011, three months after a commercial nuclear plant in Japan suffered heavy damage following a magnitude 8.9 earthquake. Here’s a summary of results:
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About Nuclear Energy • 95% believe nuclear energy will play an important role; 67% believe it will play a very important role. • 88% agree with renewing the license of nuclear power plants that continue to meet federal safety standards; 63% agree strongly. • 81% agree with keeping the option to build more nuclear power plants; 57% agree strongly. • 85% agree electric utilities should prepare now so new plants could be built if needed; 54% agree strongly. • 78% agree that we should definitely build more nuclear power plants; 46% agree strongly. • 80% favor use of nuclear energy; 51% are strongly in favor.
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Safety and environmental protection • 86% rated the plant’s safety high, and 50% gave the plant the highest safety rating. • 88% expressed confidence in the ability of South Carolina Electric & Gas and Santee Cooper, the plant’s owners, to operate the plant safely; 66% agree strongly. • 79% expressed confidence that the owners have prepared the plant to withstand the most severe natural events that may occur in the region; 53% agreed strongly. • 85% agreed the company is doing a good job of protecting the environment: 56% agree strongly. • About building two more reactor units at V.C. Summer, 63% favorable; 14% unfavorable. Survey was conducted by Bisconti Research Inc. with Quest Global Research Group, using lists of randomly selected residential phone numbers provided by Affordable Samples. Margin of error: plus or minus 6 points. N
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Nuclear Energy and the Carolinas:
Safety comes first in operating power plants
Dhiaa Jamil, Duke Energy
Jeff Archie, South Carolina Electric & Ga
Jim Scarola, Progress Energy
ith more than a halfcentury of operating experience, nuclear power plants are regarded as one of the safest and most secure industrial facilities in the United States. But safety means more than protecting plant workers, industry officials say. It’s also about protecting the public and the environment. Safety is a culture reinforced by the adoption of the following eight key industry principles offered by the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations.
To get a better appreciation of the safety culture, the chief nuclear officers of the three utilities that operate commercial reactors in the Carolinas offered their insight into how safety governs their operations. They also commented on the importance of transparency and the impact of the March 2011 earthquake in Japan that damaged the Fukushima nuclear plant. Commenting for their companies were Jeff Archie, South Carolina Electric & Gas; Jim Scarola, Progress Energy; and Dhiaa Jamil, Duke Energy.
and ensure safety of the environment. Scarola: At Progress Energy, we are committed to operating our nuclear fleet safely. We take this commitment very seriously, and have multiple programs in place to assure that we train our personnel, maintain our equipment and set the highest standards to operate our plants in a manner that protects public health and safety. Jamil: The nuclear safety culture at Duke Energy focuses on each individual employee faithfully conducting work and managing processes with the highest levels of quality. Examples include effective corrective action programs, work management processes and training. Maintaining a work atmosphere where everyone is free to raise issues and, in fact, feels obligated (and empowered) to raise any issue that might relate to nuclear safety is a top priority. This is called a safety-conscious work environment. Employees clearly understand that a strong nuclear safety culture holds nuclear safety above all other considerations.
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Everyone is personally responsible for nuclear safety. Leaders demonstrate commitment to safety. Trust permeates the organization. Decision-making reflects safety first. Nuclear technology is recognized as special and unique. A questioning attitude is cultivated. Organizational learning is embraced. Nuclear safety undergoes constant examination.
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What is key to the safety culture at your company? Archie: We want to make sure that our workforce has the right values and behaviors and that they demonstrate those values and behaviors on a continual basis to ensure that nuclear safety is always our overriding priority. The safety culture should drive everything we do. It ensures our industry and our plant are doing those things day in and day out that are necessary to ensure safety of the public
different ways and encourage people to visit our energy education centers to learn more about nuclear energy and our plants. Has Fukushima and the Virginia earthquake changed or affected the safety standards and practices at your nuclear plants? Archie: There obviously will be things that we will learn from Fukushima and the seismic event in Virginia. The most important thing from my viewpoint is that we have a culture that’s willing to learn and that wants to do the due diligence. We have a culture that wants to understand the facts behind an issue and what we can do to get better. Scarola: We, along with the rest of the nuclear industry, have undertaken significant work during the past six months to examine our plants and take
the steps necessary to enhance safety following the Japan nuclear events and the recent Virginia earthquake. Under strict oversight from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), we make continuous design, procedure and training changes to incorporate lessons learned from other plants. Jamil: We are working with our regulator, the NRC, to identify changes that could provide additional margin of safety against extreme events like Fukushima. The NRC is considering enhanced safety requirements in a number of areas, including seismic hazards, flooding, loss of electrical power, used fuel storage and emergency planning. We anticipate that many NRC recommendations will be in place quickly, while others will await the results of ongoing evaluations and a more detailed understanding of the Fukushima event. ©2011 AREVA Inc. All rights reserved.
Why is transparency and the sharing of information important to the nuclear business? Archie: We want to make sure our stakeholders understand our business. We want to make sure we address the questions our stakeholders have because they deserve to have answers. They deserve to understand and know our business. Scarola: Sharing information and learning from all events and experiences around the world is a cornerstone of the U.S. nuclear industry. Jamil: Duke Energy and other companies in the nuclear industry make a concerted effort to inform the public and respond to questions and concerns raised by stakeholders. These efforts have been ongoing since construction began on plants in the 1960s. We reach out to the public in many
AREVA is committed to the growth of the nuclear industry in the Carolinas.
ENERGY IS A STORY THAT IS STILL BEING WRITTEN. LET’S CONTINUE WRITING IT WITH LESS CO2. As a world leader in the nuclear energy business and as a significant, growing player in renewable energies, AREVA is helping to supply ever cleaner, safer and more economical energy to the greatest number of people. AREVA and its employees in the Carolinas contribute to various initiatives through sponsorship and participation, reflecting its commitment to our community.
us.areva.com
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nuclear plant construction:
Firm offers unique excavation technique
H
omeowners planning projects in their yards see them all the time — the warning signs reminding them and their contractors to call a utility before digging in certain spots. The reasons are obvious: No one wants to rupture a water or gas line or, even worse, dig into electric wiring. But what about when a utility needs to dig, even on its own property, especially when that property is the site of a nuclear plant? The stakes are even higher then, and, in many cases, traditional excavation can’t be done without substantial risk. That’s where Sumter, S.C.-based Thompson Industrial Services comes in. The company has been in business since 1986, performing water-blasting , vacuuming, chemical cleaning and general industrial cleaning, with about 600 employees staffing 13 offices in nine states in the Southeast. In 2004, it added excavation services. But these aren’t the traditional digs using backhoes and other heavy equipment to rip blindly into the ground. Using a technique developed in Canada, Thompson conducts hydro and pneumatic excavation, meaning that it uses air and water to break up and siphon dirt from sites. It started using the process in 2004, when Charlotte-based Duke Energy Corp. asked if there was a way the company could dig on its property without disturbing anything. Currently, it’s performing that job at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Generating Station in Jenkinsville, S.C., where South Carolina Electric & Gas — a subsidiary of Cayce, S.C.-based SCANA Corp. — and its partners are building two additional nuclear reactors. Christopher Niebuhr, Thompson’s president and chief operating officer, says utilities have embraced the 26
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“We’re using either water or air pressure in a vacuum to loosen the soil, then vacuuming up the loosened soil.” Christopher Niebuhr, President Thompson Industrial Service
new excavation technology. “Historically, digging at any plant site was primarily done with a backhoe. The plant sites have drawings of what’s underground, but they’re not always exact. They don’t want to take the risk of hitting something.” That risk is eliminated because of Thompson’s process. “We’re using either water or air pressure in a vacuum to loosen the soil, then vacuuming up the loosened soil. It allows digging without the risk of hitting unknown wire, pipe, fiber optics, anything underground,” Niebuhr says. The company won the contract by being proactive, according to sales representative LeRue Jordan. “We’ve had a very good relationship with V.C. Summer for probably 11 or 12 years. We got in front of their employees at Santee Cooper (a partner in the nuclear plant) and SCE&G, letting them know what we can do and finding out what projects they had coming up.” In late September, Thompson was excavating a trench about 8,000 feet around the perimeter for the installation of a security system and also doing some
digging to assist transformer upgrades at the plant’s switch yard. “V.C. Summer utilizes pneumatic-vacuum excavation because it is highly controllable, which helps prevent accidental breakage of underground utility, even those that are not located by ground-penetrating radar with other detection methods,” an SCE&G spokesman said. Some Southeastern states — Thompson serves the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia — now require hydraulic or pneumatic excavation at utility sites. But Niebuhr says the industry had already embraced the technique anyway. “We can do this digging with surgical precision — take it to exact depths and widths.” The process also is used outside the nuclear sector. Those include paper mills and fossil-fuel-fired power plants. “Several of our customers, who have buildings that are 50 years old or older, their drawings are inaccurate. In general, the older the facility, the more the need exists to dig in this fashion,” Niebuhr says.
OCONEE POWER STATION DUKE POWER COMPANY
Membership Information Carolinians are world leaders in the design, construction and supply of electricity. The Carolinas supply 11.5% of the nation’s nuclear energy. Our states are home to four publicly traded power generating companies and major energy engineering companies. Our two states have a strong nuclear supply chain and we are strengthening that supply chain. WHAT OUR ENERGY EXPERTISE MEANS TO US: The headlines about energy supply, economics and cleanliness align in an energy imperative: The Carolinas have a unique competitive advantage in nuclear energy. The two states, through the Carolinas Nuclear Cluster, can be the go-to source for a global nuclear renaissance. WHAT IS THE CAROLINAS’ NUCLEAR CLUSTER? The CNC is an industry-driven collaboration devoted to the prosperity of nuclear organizations in the Carolinas. As a collective we can attract more attention, open more doors and gain more influence that we can as individuals. In the CNC, our members know the balance: When to cooperate and when to compete. The CNC is based on: VISION The people, services and products in the Carolinas Nuclear Cluster fortify our states’ economy, create environmentally friendly electricity, contribute to our
energy independence and are the world’s center of nuclear energy excellence. MISSION The organization collaboratively strengthens workforce, services, products and policies to extend our global leadership. STRATEGIC RESPONSES 1. Define the economic development proposition of the inudstry in the Carolinas and develop support businesses for industry growth. 2. Drive positive public policy for the Carolinas’ nuclear energy industry base. 3. Develop and support an ample, sustainable energy oriented workforce. 4. Support technology enhancement. 5. Enhance communications and market the effectiveness of Carolinas’ nuclear energy expertise. LEADERSHIP Chair: Jim Little, senior vice president, Nuclear Energy Programs, URS Corp. Past Chair: Mark Fecteau, vice president, Asia Strategy, Westinghouse Electric Company Founding chair: Ron Jones, senior vice president, Nuclear Operations, Duke Energy ANCHOR COMPANIES: • Duke Energy • Progress Energy • Savannah River Nuclear Solutions • SCANA/SCE&G
SUPPLIERS/CONTRACTORS: • AREVA • ASCO Valve/Emerson • Brillig Systems • Electric Power Research Institute • Engenuity • Fluor • GEL Laboratories • Global Quality Assurance • Global Service Solutions • Hendrick Construction • Jacobs Engineering • J-E-T-S Nuclear Consultants • K&L Gates • Pegasus Nuclear • RCS • Shaw Group • Siemens Energy • Tetra Tech • Tindall • Toshiba America Nuclear Energy • URS • WACHS Services • WEC Welding and Machining • Westinghouse • Zachry Nuclear Engineering EDUCATION PARTNERS/OTHERS: • Aiken Technical College • Central Piedmont Community College • Citizens For Nuclear Technology Advancement • Clemson University • Economic Development Partnership of Aiken and Edgefield Counties • Francis Marion University • Gaston College D
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• Midlands Technical College
• S.C. Department of Commerce
• SCRA
• N.C. Department of Commerce
• S.C. Technical Colleges
• SRS — Community Re-Use
• N.C. Community College System • N.C. State University
Savannah River National Laboratory
• S.C. State University
• S.C. University Research &
Education Foundation — SUNRISE
nuclear power industry
The nuclear power industry is growing across the Carolinas. Central Piedmont Community College offers a variety of training programs that help prepare individuals for jobs in nuclear plant construction, operation and maintenance. These include:
· A.A.S. degree in Non-Destructive Examination · Diploma in Nuclear Power Plant Inspection · A.A.S. degree and certificates in Construction Management Technology · A.A.S. degree and certificates in Welding Technology · A.A.S. degrees in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering Technology · A.A.S. degree in Electrical Technology · Electrical Physical Designer certificate · Nuclear quality assurance training courses, in partnership with Global Quality Assurance, Inc. For more information, visit www.cpcc.edu/energy.
Midlands Technical College trains operators for nuclear power plants... and the workforce to build them.
MTC’s Nuclear Systems Technology associate degree program covers the fundamentals of nuclear power systems including nuclear plant components, radiological protection, reactor theory and nuclear plant chemistry. MTC offers a number of skilled crafts programs in welding technologies, electrical technologies, and pipefitting and essential to the construction of today’s nuclear power generation sites.
You can get
Anywhere from here.
Visit midlandstech.edu to learn more. E
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Organization
• UNC Charlotte
• University of South Carolina • York Technical College
We respond to the needs of the
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• Spartanburg Community College
Membership Investments: • Annual cost through 2012: Companies with more than $100 million in revenue — $5,000; $25-100 million in revenue — $3,500; Up to $25 million in revenue — $1,200. Nonprofits and education with strong nuclear education or research — $250. • Commercial firms must meet 5 of 7
criteria: Sales $1 million or more in past calendar or fiscal year; at least 12 full-time employees from the Carolinas for more than 1 year; 25% sales to Carolinas nuclear firms or engineering firms for Carolinas nuclear firms; 2 or more current contracts with a CNC firm or engineering firm designing/ maintaining a facility; 5 or more years in the business; located in Carolinas, either corporate HQ or major branch representing significant investment in Carolinas; be a supplier in good standing with nuclear generators and major engineering firms. Attendees have: • Have technical expertise in the nuclear energy industry, or provide a critical service or product in a very closely aligned industry, because members are asked to participate in engineering and energy issues. Individuals who are purely sales representatives are not aligned with the organization’s action items. • Organization position: Management; has budget /decision-making authority. • Active participation: Each member takes role in a task force: Economic development, workforce development, public policy, tech development or communications. Contact/more information: Scott Carlberg, Nuclear Cluster Coordinator NuclearCluster@gmail.com
W E S T I N G H O U S E E L E C T R I C C O M PA N Y L L C
For a strong economy and clean air, Westinghouse is focused on nuclear energy.
Nuclear energy, by providing reliable and affordable electricity, helps keep business competitive and powers future worldwide job growth. Today, nuclear energy provides 15 percent of total global electricity generation and accounts for more than 45 percent of the carbon-free electricity in the world. Westinghouse, and its more than 15,000 global employees, is proud of its leadership position in this important industry and is dedicated to safe performance. That’s why the Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear plant is designed to be more than 200 times safer than U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements. It is designed to shut down automatically, without the need for backup power, and will cool itself for 72 hours before any human intervention is necessary. This is made possible through the use of gravity, natural circulation, condensation and convection. As the most advanced design available in the global marketplace, four AP1000 units are under construction in China. Four units are also under construction in the United States, with an additional 14 units announced as the technology of choice. Building additional AP1000 units will provide future generations with safe, clean and reliable electricity. Check us out at www.westinghousenuclear.com
ENERGIZING THE WORLD FOR 125 YEARS