Speaker Smith and Senate President Alexander Seek Private-Sector Input in Turing South Carolina's Nuclear Assets into Jobs and Investment

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Speaker of the House Murrell Smith and Senate President Thomas Alexander today announced their support for the Palmetto Nuclear Coalition’s role as a private sector convener to create the development of a proposed statewide Nuclear Economic Development Framework and Strategy for South Carolina that can be provided to the Legislature to ensure that South Carolina can compete effectively for the opportunities presented in nuclear energy.

South Carolina is positioned to lead the next era of American nuclear energy. The state has unmatched nuclear assets, including the V.C. Summer site, the Westinghouse Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility, the Savannah River Site, seven operating reactors, and a premier workforce pipeline. At the same time, federal policy and private capital are moving strongly toward nuclear power, including new federal financing initiatives to support AP1000 deployment and nuclear supply chain development. This creates a significant opportunity for South Carolina to attract major investment, good-paying jobs, and long-term economic opportunity to South Carolina.

“South Carolina has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lead America’s nuclear future,” said Speaker Smith. “Our state has the assets, the workforce, and the partnerships to lead the nation. The Palmetto Nuclear Coalition is the right organization to bring our plan together and deliver it to the General Assembly.”

“Advancing South Carolina’s nuclear leadership will take a coordinated, statewide effort,” said Senate President Alexander. “The Coalition brings together the utilities, manufacturers, research institutions, and workforce partners who can create and support recommendations on how South Carolina can take advantage of this opportunity. The Senate looks forward to reviewing the Coalition’s recommendations.”

This recognition empowers private-sector leadership in South Carolina’s nuclear economic development strategy and is intended to align nuclear economic development, workforce development, supply chain expansion, investment attraction, and advanced reactor deployment. PNC is expected to develop and present a proposed framework that includes peer-state benchmarking, structural options for statewide coordination, a federal funding strategy, and workforce and supply chain recommendations.

Hopefully, the framework will position South Carolina for long-term success by creating the foundation necessary to attract leading advanced nuclear companies, grow homegrown enterprises into national headquarters, and establish a North American Innovation Hub, cementing the state’s leadership in the future of nuclear energy. This recognition signals South Carolina’s commitment to organizing quickly and competing effectively for the economic opportunities presented by the national nuclear resurgence.

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