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Press Release

For Immediate Release
June 30, 2008
Contact: Sean C. Bonyun
(202) 225-3761

Upton – A Greater Commitment to Nuclear Will Power Millions of Homes & U.S. Economy
Rep. announces $80,000 for LMC scholarship program that partners with local nuclear industry – 35 percent of national nuclear workforce expected to retire in next 5 years

BRIDGMAN, MI – Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph), top Republican on the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality, announced today that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has awarded Lake Michigan College an $82,687 grant to fund 10 scholarships for students enrolled full-time in the newly created Energy Production Technology program.  The new curriculum was developed in partnership with the Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman and Palisades Power Plant in Covert, to train professionals for careers in nuclear power plant operations.  Upton also unveiled a national initiative, compiled by the Clean and Safe Energy (CASEnergy) Coalition, to move forward with the construct of at least 30 new nuclear plants across the nation, which has the potential to create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

“The Cook and Palisades plants are such invaluable members of our community, providing stable electricity and hundreds of high paying jobs, all the while pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into our local economy,” said Upton.  “LMC is a prime example of the nuclear energy industry partnering with local academic institutions to fill high paying jobs at our local plants,” said Upton.  “I commend LMC for creating this program which has already generated tremendous interest with 50 students already enrolled for this autumn.”

Congress authorized the NRC to provide $15 million in grants for support of education in nuclear science, technology and engineering to develop a workforce capable of supporting the design, construction and operation, and regulation of commercial nuclear facilities, and the safe handling of nuclear materials. According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, about 35 percent of the nuclear energy workforce will retire within the next five years.  Locally, over 600 nuclear job openings are anticipated over the next 5 years.  LMC scholarship recipients will receive funds to cover full tuition, fees and textbooks as a full-time student enrolled in the fall, winter, spring and summer sessions.  Students chosen for these scholarship awards will be expected to sign a contract to work in the nuclear industry for six months for each year of scholarship funding.

LMC President Dr. Randall Miller explained the combined value of the education and work experience that these scholarships will provide students. “This is a unique opportunity for those who want to acquire an advanced skill set and then put that training to work in a career immediately upon graduation,” Miller said. “As a community college, we want to do everything in our power to help create a skilled workforce that can meet the needs of local industry. Scholarships, such as these, help us to fulfill that mission.”

In addition to providing stable, emissions-free electricity, the economic benefits of nuclear power are substantial.  Each of today’s 104 reactors generates an estimated $430 million a year in total output for the local community, and nearly $40 million per year in total labor income.

Nuclear power today accounts for 20 percent of our nation’s energy supply (coal supplies are nearly 50 percent; natural gas, 20 percent; hydroelectric, 7 percent; and other renewables such as wind and solar account for just 2.4 percent). While supplying just 20 percent of our electricity, nuclear power accounts for an extraordinary 70 percent of our nation’s emissions-free electricity.  If we were to maintain the current ratio of electricity generation, to meet future demand over the next 20 years, we will have to construct 747 new coal plants, 52 new nuclear plants and 1,994 new hydro-electric plants.

Currently, at least 30 new reactors are under consideration in the United States.  According to the Bechtel Power Corporation (outlined by the CASEnergy Coalition) if the U.S. builds 33 to 41 new nuclear power plants, 610,000 high-paying jobs would be added to the U.S. economy:
 

• 72,000 to 79,000 plant construction and operations jobs
• 37,000 to 38,000 nuclear manufacturing jobs
• 181,000 to 250,000 indirect nuclear power jobs
• 218,000 to 242,000 jobs in non-nuclear industries

“Although we have not built a new nuclear plant in over three decades, it is imperative that clean, safe nuclear power is at the forefront as we seek to solidify our nation’s energy supply and foster a new era of energy independence and reduced emissions,” said Upton.  “As applications for at least 30 new nuclear plants are expected over the next three years, we are on our way to fulfilling our commitment to nuclear power.  Not only will our environment be better for it, our national security will also be bolstered.  Millions of households will be powered by zero-emission nuclear power and our nation’s economy will be powered by nuclear as well.”

As a consequence of not having constructed a new nuclear facility in over 30 years, an entire manufacturing sector has literally been shuttered. Through a renewed commitment to nuclear power, and the construction of dozens of new plants on American soil, we will foster the rebirth of the manufacturing industry and the creation of tens of thousands of new, high-paying jobs.

Upton also believes that it is imperative that we fulfill our nation’s obligation to permanently and safely store nuclear waste deep inside Yucca Mountain in the Nevada desert.  Upton has introduced bipartisan legislation (H.R. 3358) to expedite the construction of the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste storage site and remove a barrier in the licensing process. The measure will facilitate funding for the licensing and construction phase of Yucca Mountain and grant the NRC a sufficient level of confidence to approve new reactor licenses, knowing the spent fuel will have a permanent repository.  Removing this burden from the licensing process will help expedite the construction of new nuclear plants as well as the expansion of existing sites.  Earlier this month, the Department of Energy formally submitted the license application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to construct the nuclear repository, marking the culmination of more than two decades of scientific investigations and engineering at Yucca Mountain

The entire CASEnergy Coalition jobs initiative can be found at www.CleanSafeEnergy.org.

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