Palmetto Nuclear Coalition launches to advance South Carolina’s energy and economic future
June 24, 2025
DC BLOX, Milliken & Company, Google, and Nucor unite to support growth of nuclear energy across South Carolina.
South Carolina’s top business and civic leaders have launched the Palmetto Nuclear Coalition (PNC)—a bold new alliance of energy offtakers, advanced manufacturers, and policy leaders committed to accelerating nuclear energy deployment across the state.
With South Carolina already generating over half of its electricity from nuclear power—and demand rising across every sector—PNC aims to position the state as a global leader in both large-scale and next-generation nuclear technologies. The coalition will champion policy, investment, and innovation strategies to secure clean, resilient and reliable energy for decades to come.
The launch follows the recent passage of the South Carolina Energy Security Act, a landmark framework establishing a path forward for expanded nuclear development. PNC represents the growing alignment between the state’s public and private sectors to meet increasing energy needs, attract investment, and reinforce energy security.
Led by founding members DC BLOX, Milliken & Company, Google, and Nucor, and supported by affiliates including the SC Manufacturers Alliance, SC Nexus, and the Nuclear Energy Institute, the coalition reflects a shared commitment to economic growth, energy reliability, and environmental stewardship.
“As South Carolina’s economy booms and our population continues to rise, the demand for clean, reliable, and affordable energy has never been greater. Nuclear power is essential to our future prosperity, and South Carolina is ready to lead the country’s nuclear power renaissance,” said Governor Henry McMaster.
“Led by our founding members—DC BLOX, Milliken & Company, Google, and Nucor—we’ve brought together energy offtakers, industry leaders, and key stakeholders through the Palmetto Nuclear Coalition to ensure South Carolina has the opportunity not only to lead the nation in deploying new nuclear power, but to emerge as a global hub for research, technology, and innovation,” said Ethel Bunch, Founder of the Palmetto Nuclear Coalition.
“Nuclear energy isn’t just clean—it’s constant,” said Jeff Uphues, CEO of DC BLOX. “It provides the uninterrupted baseload power required by today’s most energy-intensive sectors, from cloud computing and smart logistics to biotech, manufacturing, and next-gen materials. That’s why we launched the Palmetto Nuclear Coalition in partnership with Nucor, Milliken and Company and Google — to unify the private sector voice around South Carolina’s energy future.”
“Steel is the core building block of our nation’s critical infrastructure and economy. Nucor steel mills in South Carolina, and across the country, require reliable and affordable clean energy to power the next generation of steel products. Nucor has taken a leadership role in advocating for increasing and diversifying our nation’s energy supply and nuclear energy has an important role to play in achieving those goals. We are proud to work with other founding members of the Palmetto Nuclear Coalition to accelerate the deployment of additional nuclear energy in South Carolina,” said Chad Eaton, Director of Government Affairs, Nucor.
“Advanced nuclear energy will be an important tool to help support continued economic growth in the U.S.,” said Katie Ottenweller, Energy Policy & Markets Lead at Google. “This collaboration with leaders across South Carolina to launch the Palmetto Nuclear Coalition will help advance the nuclear energy conversation in a state we are proud to call home.”
“America’s manufacturing future depends on bold energy leadership and nuclear power should be at the heart of it. To lead the world in innovation, we need a foundation of reliable, carbon-free energy that can scale with our ambition, said Maurie Lawrence, Vice President, Sustainability and Associate General Counsel. Nuclear energy provides the stability and strength our factories and local suppliers need to compete globally, push technological boundaries, and build the next generation of advanced industries right here at home in South Carolina.”
About PNC
The Palmetto Nuclear Coalition is a public-private partnership formed to advance nuclear energy innovation, deployment, and policy in South Carolina. With leadership from the private sector and strong alignment with policymakers, PNC aims to establish South Carolina as a global leader in nuclear energy production, innovation, and commercialization.
