Grant awarded for advanced reactor workforce needs in southeast U.S.

The need: Currently, there are five nuclear power plants operating at three sites in North Carolina. The neighboring states of Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee also have large nuclear power facilities, creating a regional workforce training and qualification network. According to the NC Collaboratory, the nuclear workforce has been experiencing significant shifts based on attrition, cost reductions, and generational and cultural differences.

To support the future fleet of advanced reactors and new designs, the network will need to expand in numbers and in new knowledge, skills, and behaviors as a result of evolving requirements (construction, operations, and maintenance) associated with advanced reactors.

Notes: A project report is due in fall 2026 and will be delivered to North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein, the state's general assembly, NC Collaboratory, and nuclear utility Duke Energy, among others.

The governor’s office wants to team up with the NC State/EPRI team on this project by sharing the office’s workforce development resources with the nuclear energy industry. In addition, EPRI looks to use the program developed under this project as a blueprint for other states to follow.

The funds for supporting this project have been awarded by the North Carolina General Assembly through the NC Collaboratory.

About: The NC Collaboratory was established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2016 to disseminate the research expertise across the University of North Carolina System for practical use by state and local government.

To accomplish this mission, the NC Collaboratory, in its role as a funding agency, partners with academic institutions and government agencies to identify and transform research into practical applications that can benefit state and local government economies.