renewable energy
NUCLEAR INDUSTRY HAS more than $20 BILLION IMPACT IN CAROLINAS
T
he nuclear industry provides a significant economic impact to the Carolinas — conservatively more than $20 billion, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at Clemson University. In the Carolinas, the nuclear industry employs tens of thousands of citizens in the generation, service and hardware associated with the industry. These companies also have a long-term personal investment in their communities. Each nuclear unit, on average, has some 650 workers creating energy from their plants and value through their work in the community. In North Carolina, nuclear power generation accounts for 32% of the state’s electricity usage, and there are five operational reactors. These include two reactors at the Brunswick power station in Southport, two reactors at the McGuire power station in Huntersville, and one reactor at the Shearon Harris power station in New Hill. In South Carolina, nuclear power generation provides 52% of the state’s electricity usage. The seven operational reactors in South Carolina include one reactor at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Jenkinsville, two reactors at the Catawba power station in York County, a single reactor at the H.B. Robinson power station in Brunswick County, and three reactors at Oconee power station in Oconee County. Two new reactors are under construction at the V.C. Summer location. New construction adds thousands more workers. Moreover, the cascading effect of dollars created by the industry and used in communities is estimated to create indirectly more than 5,000 additional jobs and support nearly 80,000 more in some
The Nuclear Industry in the Carolinas by the Numbers The Economic Impact – Direct
– Indirect/Induced
2013 $15.9B $11.8B
Total: $27.7 billion
way that ranges far from actual nuclear energy production. In all, we can easily point to more than 100,000 jobs touched by the industry. That is aside from the jobs created by having a clean, economical, abundant energy source that attracts new industry to our states. Payroll associated with direct employment in the nuclear industry in the Carolinas is greater than $2.2 billion. New construction plus the indirect and induced jobs conservatively add an additional $2 billion to that number. “Residents and businesses in the Carolinas receive real economic benefits from the nuclear industry through jobs, income creation and the multiplier of spending,” says Dr. Scott Mason, lead
researcher for the study, from the S.C. Center of Economic Excellence in Supply Chain Optimization and Logistics at Clemson. This study included research from various segments of the nuclear industry including nuclear operating plants, industrial supply firms, nuclear fuel suppliers, new construction, government facilities, educational facilities, maintenance companies and others. The Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster commissioned the research to obtain a measure of the economic effects of the nuclear industry. The nuclear industry benefits Carolinians, even those who do not work in the industry itself. “The Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster has encouraged suppliers to locate and grow inside our states. These suppliers can provide materials to the nuclear industry, and also supply other industries. Examples of businesses in the nuclear supply chain are industrial supply firms, valve manufacturers, design firms, maintenance companies and services such as security and laboratories,” says Scott Carlberg, president of E4 Carolinas, a two-state energy trade group. The Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster is under the E4 Carolinas’ umbrella. Industry clusters are an economic development concept created by Michael Porter, Harvard Business School professor: “A cluster is a geographically proximate group of companies and associated institutions in a particular field, linked by commonalities and complementarities,” according to his definition. Successful clusters have linked organizations that range from manufacturing to suppliers, service providers and educators. u
E
n
e
r
g
i
z
e
d
9