USC and Westinghouse Launch Nuclear Workforce Training Center in Downtown Columbia to Support AP1000 Rollout

The University of South Carolina has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Westinghouse Electric to establish a dedicated nuclear workforce training center in downtown Columbia.

The agreement was signed Sept. 29 at the South Carolina Nuclear Summit by USC President Michael Amiridis and Luca Oriani, President of New Plant Delivery at Westinghouse. The new facility is planned for South Main Street near USC's Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing and is part of a broader campus development along the South Main corridor.

Purpose and Scope

The center is intended to accelerate workforce development for the next generation of nuclear projects, especially training related to Westinghouse's AP1000 reactor design. Westinghouse has said it aims to have 10 AP1000 reactors under construction nationwide by 2030, driven in part by a Department of Energy loan announced earlier in the year.

The University of South Carolina has partnered with Westinghouse to build a new nuclear workforce training center in Columbia. University of South Carolina / Provided

"This collaboration will support high-paying jobs and economic growth across South Carolina while strengthening and further developing the workforce needed to deliver the next generation of nuclear power plants," Luca Oriani said in a press release.

Partnership and Local Involvement

USC officials say the training center will host a physical presence from Westinghouse, partner universities and the South Carolina Technical College System. Dean Hossein Haj-Hariri of USC's College of Engineering and Computing emphasized the urgency of workforce development, noting the university is moving forward with training plans even before construction is complete.

"Before you start building, you need the workforce... We are going to be building this plane as we fly it," Haj-Hariri said, describing efforts to begin training immediately while the facility is developed.

Context and Timeline

The push for additional nuclear capacity in South Carolina coincides with rising electricity demand, in part due to the growth of data centers. Westinghouse’s parent company and partners are also seeking to complete two partially built reactors at the V.C. Summer site in Fairfield County. Santee Cooper, the state-owned utility that currently holds the V.C. Summer units and would retain a stake if Brookfield Asset Management's purchase is approved, expects those units to begin producing power in 2032 or 2033.

No firm completion date for the new training center has been announced. USC and Westinghouse say the programs will aim to prepare thousands of workers for high-paying jobs that can also translate to other sectors and spinoff investments as the state's nuclear sector grows.

Luca Oriani, President of Westinghouse New Plant Delivery, and USC President Michael Amiridis shake hands after signing an agreement to partner the two entities in building a nuclear workforce training center in Columbia. Caleb Bozard/Staff

Political and Industry Reaction

Speakers at the summit highlighted South Carolina's existing industrial base, regulatory cooperation and leadership buy-in as assets that could make the state a national proving ground for new AP1000 units. U.S. Rep. Russell Fry and DOE officials framed workforce development as the central challenge and opportunity for the industry's expansion. Some comments at the event sparked debate over environmental regulation and local priorities.

South Carolina already ranks among the nation's top states for nuclear generation, with more than half of the state's electricity coming from reactors in Hartsville, Jenkinsville, Seneca and York.

Photo caption: Luca Oriani and USC President Michael Amiridis shake hands after signing the MOU. (Caleb Bozard/Staff)