Nuclear industry has more than $20 billion impact in Carolinas.

• Position: RENEWABLE ENERGY

The 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 sonic 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 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...