Mindy Mets

As energy needs continue to grow, the nation's electric utilities are at the forefront of harnessing nuclear technology as an important option for meeting rising electricity demand. As we observe National Nuclear Science Week, the expanding nuclear presence in our own region reminds us of the role nuclear power has played in our energy past and the importance it is destined to play in the future.

The stats are impressive. Nuclear power accounts for about one-fourth of the total electricity generation in Georgia. In neighboring South Carolina, nuclear production is even higher - about half of the state's total. Both states exceed the national average. Behind coal, nuclear power is the second leading source of electricity nationally, accounting for about 20 percent of total U. S. electricity generation.

And more nuclear generation is on the way. At nearby Plant Vogtle, one of three Georgia nuclear stations operated by Southern Company, construction of two new nuclear reactors is well underway with plans to begin commercial operation of Unit 3 in 2016 and Unit 4 in 2017. They will join Units 1 and 2 which have been contributing reliably to our region's electric needs since the late 1980s. In South Carolina, the V. C. Summer Nuclear Station near Columbia has been reliably supplying electricity to South Carolina customers for nearly three decades. In 2004, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission extended the plant's operating license, granting it 20 additional years of operation through 2042. SCE&G and Santee Cooper are building two additional nuclear units at the V.C. Summer Station. The first new unit is scheduled to begin operation in 2016 followed by the second unit in 2019.

Both Vogtle and V.C. Summer have been stellar performers in providing a reliable, cost-effective source of electricity for consumers in our region. At various times, their generating capacity supplements the national grid, helping to ensure that homes and businesses across the country have ample power when needed. Importantly, they also have a low impact on the environment, producing no greenhouse gases.

And nuclear power is safe. Statistics show it is safer to work at a nuclear power plant than in the manufacturing sector.  In fact, of the 17 infrastructure categories currently under evaluation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including chemical, transportation, telecommunications and others - Homeland Security has said the nuclear reactor sector is by far the best protected. Furthermore, the government is using the nuclear reactor sector as the standard for the other 16 sectors of our national infrastructure.

In addition to powering business and industry in our region, Plant Vogtle and V.C. Summer contribute to the economy in other ways as well. With the new units, there will be continuous construction activity over the next several years which will translate into job opportunities for hundreds of qualified workers.

At the peak of construction, more than 3,500 workers will be needed at each site to build the new units and all of the accompanying facilities. Jobs range from professional engineers to project managers, pipefitters, carpenters, electricians, ironworkers, painters and more.

When operation begins, more than 800 new permanent employees - including engineers, mechanics, control room operators, lab technicians, instrument and control technicians, security officers and others - will oversee the plant's operations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Generally, most of these well-paying jobs are filled by people who live in the local area.

The local economic spinoff is significant, too. The Nuclear Energy Institute estimates that for every 100 direct jobs produced by a nuclear power plant, the local economy produces an additional 66 indirect and induced jobs.

In addition, construction of a new nuclear unit provides a substantial boost to suppliers of commodities like concrete and steel and hundreds of plant components. NEI estimates a new nuclear unit requires approximately 400,000 cubic yards of concrete, 66,000 tons of steel, 44 miles of piping, 300 miles of electrical wiring and 130,000 electrical components.

All in all, the story of our local nuclear presence is a compelling one that fits well with the chief objective of National Nuclear Science Week- to recognize the contributions of the nuclear science industry and those that work in it every day.

[The author, Mindy Mets, is Nuclear Workforce Initiative Program Manager for the SRS Community Reuse Organization. This article is one in a five-part series published in observance of National Nuclear Science Week January 23-27.]