By Khan Singleton
Edited by Ryan Bethea
Two new nuclear reactors in Jenkinsville would stimulate the state's economy and bring more high-paying jobs to South Carolina if approved, the head of USC's nuclear engineering program says.
"A nuclear plant generates an average $20 million in state taxes and $75 million dollars in federal taxes," Travis Knight said Monday at a seminar in connection with National Engineers Week.
It takes 1,400 to 1,800 construction workers to build a nuclear plant and 400 to 700 people to run daily operations, with an average $40 million in salaries to spread out among the plant workers, Knight said.
South Carolina Electric & Gas Co., which owns over half of the Virgil C. Summer nuclear plant in Jenkinsville, expects the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to decide soon whether to continue construction on the two units. The Summer plant already has one unit built and operating since 1982.
The NRC approved two similar plants in Georgia earlier this month, the first such
U.S. nuclear plants approved in 30 years.
Knight said South Carolina should invest more into nuclear energy to become more competitive globally.
"We can't bury our head in the sand and say we're not doing it, because the rest of the world is doing it," Knight said.
The NRC has rejected attempts by the Sierra Club and Friends of the Earth to block the two new units over cost and environmental concerns. Messages left with both organizations seeking comment about Knight's numbers were not immediately returned.
John Monnier, a USC chemical engineering professor who attended Knight's seminar, said it could have been more technical, but we really need nuclear reactors.
"It's the only non-pollution source of energy," Monnier said. "It's expensive to run nuclear plants, but a standard set of rules could drive down production costs."
Travis Taylor, a senior computer information major, said he still had some safety concerns.
