NuHub Partners With Holtec International to Compete for $452M Department of Energy Grant for SC
April 24, 2012
Partnership Supports Construction at Savannah River Site and Jobs in SC
COLUMBIA, SC – April 24, 2012 – NuHub has partnered with HoltecInternational, Inc., a diversified energy technology company supplyingequipment and systems for the nuclear, solar, geothermal and fossilpower generation sectors of the energy industry, to compete for one oftwo federal grants from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for smallmodular reactor (SMR) development. The recently announced federal award,totaling up to $452 million will support engineering, designcertification and licensing for up to two prototype SMR designs. Winningthe award would expedite the development, licensing, construction,commissioning and operation of Holtec’s flagship reactor, named SMR-160,at the Savannah River Site (SRS).
NuHub was launched in October 2010 by EngenuitySC as a consortium ofpublic, private, higher education and business development interestssharing a common goal of maximizing the economic and job creation impactof the nuclear renaissance on the Midstate of South Carolina.
“One of NuHub’s core goals is to position the Midstate as a hub for SMRactivity including jobs, research, training and manufacturing,” saidSonny White, co-chair of NuHub and President of Midlands TechnicalCollege. “We look forward to partnering with Holtec International andleveraging South Carolina’s assets and expertise in nuclear energy.”
We are pleased to partner with NuHub to help incubate the SMRtechnology in South Carolina,” said Pierre Oneid, President of SMR, LLC,a subsidiary of Holtec International. “The coalition of industry,academic and community leadership represented by NuHub and the stronglysupportive nuclear culture in the Palmetto state presents an idealopportunity for us to build our first SMR-160 at the Savannah RiverSite. With help from NuHub and the state we hope to establish a localmanufacturing facility for building reactor components in South Carolinathat replicates our existing fabrication capabilities in Pennsylvania,Ohio, and Florida.”
As a global leader in power generation technologies, Holtec has designedan indigenously developed SMR. Holtec’s SMR-160 is a 160 MW pressurizedwater reactor that has been designed to withstand the most severenatural disasters by relying on gravity under all operating andemergency conditions. Holtec International hails DOE’s support for SMRdevelopment and NuHub’s willingness to support the operation ofprototype SMR designs in South Carolina.
The Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site and Savannah RiverNational Laboratory are uniquely qualified to support the innovation,research and demonstration of small modular reactor designs proposed byHoltec and other reactor vendors, said Dr. Terry Michalske, ExecutiveVice President of SRNS and SRNL Director. We have the capacity andtechnical know-how to team with all interested vendors, and we areespecially pleased to work with Holtec and NuHub to assist in testingand evaluating innovative reactor designs that address our nation’sclean energy challenges.
NuHub earlier announced a similar agreement with NuScale Power LLC. NuHub intends to support applications from both Holtec and NuScale forthe U.S. DOE SMR program.
About NuHub
NuHub, an initiative of EngenuitySC, is a collaborative group of public,private, higher education and workforce development stakeholdersworking to maximize economic and job creation opportunities for thenuclear industry in the Midstate region of South Carolina, and toestablish the Midstate as a hub and global leader for nuclear energyinnovation. Please visit www.NuHubSC.com for more information.
About EngenuitySC
Headquartered in Columbia, EngenuitySC is public/private partnershipformed to develop and grow the South Carolina Midlands’ knowledge-basedeconomy by fostering an environment where entrepreneurship, innovation,and the creation of knowledge are fundamental elements of the region’sculture, identity, and economic development strategy. Throughcollaboration with business, government, and higher education,EngenuitySC leads initiatives that support research development, promotecommercialization, and leverage the region’s assets. Please visit www.EngenuitySC.com for more information.
About Holtec International, Inc.
Holtec International is a world leader in nuclear technologies withongoing projects in the United States, UnitedKingdom,Spain,Ukraine,China,Korea ,Belgium , Sweden and Switzerland. TheCompany is carrying out some of the most challenging nuclear projectsaround the world including the de-fueling of Chernobyl’s shutteredreactors. The equipment and systems supplied by Holtec to its worldwideclients are largely based on the Company’s own patents and proprietarytechnologies. The Company is the largest exporter of capital equipmentin the US and is recognized as the operator of manufacturing plants inthree states with an excellent record of safety. Please visit www.holtecinternational.com for more information.
