This past April, The Nuclear Company opened its primary engineering and construction office in Columbia. Earlier this week, the company, which aims to modernize nuclear construction in the U.S., announced a landmark partnership with the University of South Carolina’s Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing (MCEC) to position the state as a national hub for advanced nuclear energy innovation, workforce development, and economic growth.
The partnership brings together the University of South Carolina’s nationally ranked nuclear engineering program and The Nuclear Company, which is leading gigawatt-scale deployment of nuclear power across America and pioneering the modernization of nuclear construction. Both USC and The Nuclear Company will collaborate on research, education, workforce development and industry initiatives to accelerate the deployment of nuclear power.
“South Carolina has long been an innovator in nuclear energy, and that’s what attracted The Nuclear Company to our state,” said MCEC Dean Hossein Haj-Hariri. “By combining our academic leadership with the company’s plans to build fleet-scale nuclear across the country, we will drive innovation, prepare the next generation of nuclear workers, and strengthen our state’s role in working toward America’s energy independence."
The Nuclear Company will invest up to $5 million over five years that USC will match with funds from federal grants, industry partners and other donors. Anticipated projects include establishing a Joint Research Center for Nuclear Innovation, focusing on digital twin modeling, advanced manufacturing, and materials research and development; creating workforce development programs focused on internships and co-ops, as well as the start of a Summer Nuclear Science Institute for high school students; and joint public education campaigns.
“The University of South Carolina’s leadership in nuclear has created generations of head-of-household jobs in the state and a statewide economy powered by clean, baseload energy,” said Joe Klecha, chief nuclear officer of The Nuclear Company. “We look forward to working with the university’s faculty and leaders as America invests in nuclear power at an unprecedented scale.”
According to Travis Knight, chair of the college’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and director of the nuclear engineering graduate program, the partnership will expand students’ opportunities for education and research by strengthening the talent pipeline needed to meet the Department of Energy’s Liftoff Report goal of tripling the nation’s nuclear power and workforce by 2050.
“Graduate students at USC, guided by world-class faculty, are working at the forefront of engineering innovations that will enable nuclear plants to be built faster, at lower capital cost, and ultimately deliver more affordable electricity for ratepayers,” Knight says. “Beyond advancing clean, reliable, and resilient energy for families and industry, these efforts also provide lasting economic benefits. While nuclear energy has low fuel costs [compared to coal and natural gas], its higher operations and maintenance needs translate into high-quality jobs that keep money circulating in our communities and across South Carolina.”
Harry Weaver, a sophomore mechanical engineering student at the MCEC who is also engaged in nuclear energy research, says the partnership will pave the way to a more open mindset regarding nuclear energy.
“Within the engineering realm, everyone is already talking about how nuclear energy is the next big thing to meet our world's growing energy demands,” Weaver says. “This partnership will be great so students like me who are passionate about nuclear energy can further explore and research possibilities within the field.”