New Carolina: South Carolina's Council on Competitiveness

Champion

Jim Little, URS Corporation

Overview/Mission

The Carolinas' Nuclear Cluster collaboratively strengthens workforce, services, products, and policies to capture and extend our global leadership in nuclear energy capabilities.

The Carolinas are a hub of nuclear expertise, supplying more than 11% of the nation’s nuclear power production, and we can build on that tradition. As the need for electricity increases, our solid energy expertise can provide the Carolinas with environmentally-friendly, safe and plentiful power. In fact, talented Carolinians can help develop energy infrastructure around the globe.

New Carolina has created a consortium of industry, higher education and nonprofit organizations working in unison to support our energy and economic development – The Carolinas' Nuclear Cluster (CNC).

The CNC is an industry-driven collaboration devoted to the prosperity of nuclear organizations in the Carolinas. We grow our two-state industry by serving customers close-by and multi-nationally. We understand that as individual organizations we may have a limited voice and limited impact; as a collaboration of companies we have a larger voice and can combine our skills, knowledge and abilities to reach goals that are positive for all of us. As a collective, we can attract more attention, open more doors and gain more influence than we can as individuals. In the CNC, our members know the balance: When to cooperate and when to compete.

What Our Energy Expertise Means To Us:

Carolinians are world leaders in the design, construction and supply of electricity. The Carolinas supply 11.5% of the nation’s nuclear energy. Our states are home to three publicly traded power generating firms and many major energy engineering firms. Currently, North Carolina has five nuclear reactors in operation, 32% of the state’s total electricity generation. South Carolina has seven operating reactors, 52% of the state’s total electric generation, and has two new units under construction.

The headlines about energy supply, economics and cleanliness align in an energy imperative: The Carolinas have a unique competitive advantage in an industry that is a carbonless path for base-load electric needs – nuclear energy. The Carolinas are the go-to source for nuclear energy knowledge. We reinforce that go-to status through the Carolinas' Nuclear Cluster.

Strategic Direction By Task Force:

1. Define the economic development proposition of the industry in the Carolinas and develop support businesses for industry growth.

2. Develop and support an ample, sustainable energy-oriented workforce.

3. Drive positive public policy for the Carolinas’ nuclear energy industry base.

4. Support technology development.

5. Enhance communications and market the effectiveness of Carolinas’ nuclear energy expertise.

Leadership:

• Chair: Jim Little, SVP, Nuclear Energy Programs, URS Corp. (Sept. 2011)
• Incoming Chair: Tom Franch, SVP, Reactors and Service, North America, AREVA (Sept. 2013)
• Past Chair: Mark Fecteau, VP, Asia Strategy, Westinghouse (Sept. 2009-2011)
• Founding Chair: Ron Jones, SVP, Nuclear Operations, Duke Energy

2012-13 meeting dates:

October 19, 2012 (Columbia); March 15, 2013 (Charlotte); July 19, 2013 (Charlotte)

The Carolinas' Nuclear Cluster

• Industry-driven
• Provides the only two-state professional forum for nuclear industry executives
• Works with economic development officials to build the industry
• Provides a unified Carolinas voice in critical industry issues
• Offers leadership development for high-potential corporate employees
• Strengthens ties to our higher education institutions and their programs
• Builds a competitive advantage for our industry compared to other regions
• Builds recognition of the Carolinas in the nuclear energy industry

Success Story

Carolinas Nuclear Cluster in USA Today Supplement. Read More Here

Global Carolina Profile: New Carolina Nuclear Cluster (published by Global Carolina Business Journal)

COLUMBIA, SC – What does the nuclear industry in the Carolinas have in common with the upstate city of Spartanburg, SC? Among other things, it employs approximately the same number of people as live in the Hub City: some 37,000. And with projections for expansion of the global nuclear energy market from US$50 billion to $300 billion in the next 15 years, that number could more than double.

Read more

#83 New Carolina and Clusters from USC Upstate on Vimeo.