The Molinaroli College of Engineering & Computing at the university of South Carolina Presents

The 2nd Annual SC Nuclear Summit

The University of South Carolina's Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing will host the 2nd Annual SC Nuclear Summit supported by Palmetto Nuclear Coalition and Santee Cooper, a cornerstone event in our state’s journey toward becoming the national leader in advanced nuclear energy.

This year’s Summit will celebrate South Carolina’s emergence as the proving ground for America’s next nuclear era—anchored by the V.C. Summer site and strengthened by world-class assets including the Westinghouse Fuel Fabrication Facility, Savannah River Site, Savannah River National Laboratory, and Joint Base Charleston.

Together, these institutions position South Carolina as the state most capable of advancing the President’s agenda to secure energy dominance, national security and global competitiveness.

Date:

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025

Location:

Colonial Life Arena

Tickets & Registration

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS:

use promo code summit2025 with your .gov email address

Become a Sponsor

Become a sponsor

Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Use the contact form or reach out directly to info@palmettonuclear.org.

Supported by

Why should you be there?

Network with Leaders

Engage directly with utilities, off-takers, industry executives, academic experts, and policymakers from both state and federal levels — including partners driving nuclear deployment, technology innovation, and national energy strategy.

Celebrate South Carolina

Recognized as the nation’s proving ground for advanced nuclear energy, South Carolina is home to the V.C. Summer site, the Westinghouse Fuel Fabrication Facility, the Savannah River Site, Savannah River National Laboratory, and military assets.

Together, these assets form the backbone of America’s nuclear supply chain and defense capability, positioning the state to lead implementation of the President’s Executive Order calling for ten new AP1000 reactors nationwide.

Drive Innovation

Help shape the partnerships, policy, and investment frameworks that will define America’s next era of energy dominance, strengthen national security, and expand the global competitiveness of the U.S. industrial base.

Tickets & Registration

Become a Sponsor

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS: use promo code summit2025 with your .gov email address

AGENDA

8:00 – 8:45 AM | Registration & Networking Breakfast

9:00 – 9:15 AM | Welcome & Opening Remarks

9:15 – 9:45 AM | Opening Keynote

South Carolina’s Energy Vision and National Leadership
How South Carolina is leading America’s energy dominance, national security, and global competitiveness through strategic investment, innovation, and workforce development.

9:45 – 10:30 AM | $80 Billion to Power America’s Future:
Public–Private Partnerships Driving the Nuclear Resurgence

Exploring how federal-enabled, private-sector-led efforts are reshaping the economics and perception of nuclear power, financing a new fleet of AP1000 reactors and re-establishing America’s energy leadership.

10:30 – 11:15 AM | South Carolina’s Response:
The Catalyst for America’s Nuclear Resurgence

Discussion on how V.C. Summer is one of America’s most consequential energy projects and establishes South Carolina as the catalyst for building out a national AP1000 fleet.

11:15 – 11:30 AM | Networking Break

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM | University of South Carolina Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing Nuclear Innovation Center Vision

Four Pillars of Innovation

Large Reactors & Grid Infrastructure Renewal
SMRs for Industrial Decarbonization
Microreactors for Defense & Critical Infrastructure
Fuel-Cycle R&D, Recycling & Actinide Sciences

12:15 – 1:45 PM | Lunch & Networking

2:00 – 2:30 PM | AI & Innovation — Powering the Next Generation of Nuclear

Discussion on how AI and innovation drive down costs, shorten timelines, and enhance grid reliability for advanced nuclear deployment.

2:30 – 3:15 PM | Powering National Security: The DoD’s Microreactor Mission

Examining how advanced microreactors, SMRs, and the nuclear fuel cycle are transforming national security, powering defense installations, enhancing grid resilience, and strengthening America’s energy independence.

3:15 – 3:45 PM | Fireside Conversation — Nuclear Energy & America’s Strategic Future

Aligning national leadership, private-sector innovation, and federal policy to execute the Ten-Reactor Vision and secure America’s energy independence and global competitiveness.

3:45 – 4:00 PM | Closing Remarks

Tickets & Registration

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS: use promo code summit2025 with your .gov email address

SPeakers & Panelists

David A. Wright
Commissioner, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

The Honorable G. Murrell Smith, Jr.
Speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives

The Honorable Tom Davis
Member of the South Carolina Senate

Vice Admiral Paul G. Gaffney II
Counselor to the Dean, USC Molinaroli College of Engineering & Computing

Rick Lee
Chair, South Carolina Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Council

Michael Amiridis
President, University of South Carolina

Boyd Blanchard

President and CEO, Blanchard Machinery

Ethel Bunch
Founder, Palmetto Nuclear Coalition

Mitch Davidson
Managing Partner, CEO, Renewable Power & Transition Group, Brookfield

John Eschenberg
Senior Vice President Nuclear, Environment & Security | North America, Amentum

Hossein Haj-Hariri
Dean, USC Molinaroli College of Engineering & Computing

Sara Hazzard
Incoming President & CEO, South Carolina Manufacturers and Commerce

Travis Knight
Professor & Nuclear Engineering Program Director, USC Molinaroli College of Engineering & Computing

Thomas Limehouse
Former General Counsel, Governor McMaster

Peter M. McCoy Jr.
Chairman, Board of Directors, Santee Cooper; Former U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina

Alex Molinaroli
Former CEO, Johnson Controls; Founder, MCEC Endowment

Lindsay Shuller-Nickles, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, Clemson University

Jimmy Staton

President & CEO, Santee Cooper

Jonathan Stephens
Core Design Manager, Advanced Technologies, BWXT

Dan Sumner
Interim CEO, Westinghouse Electric

Greg Thompson
Founder, President and CEO, Thompson Construction Inc.

Summit Sponsorship

SPONSORSHIP REQUEST

The University of South Carolina’s Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, in partnership with Santee Cooper and the Palmetto Nuclear Coalition, invites your organization to serve as a valued sponsor for South Carolina’s 2nd Annual Nuclear Summit — a pivotal event highlighting South Carolina’s leadership in nuclear innovation, workforce development, and industrial competitiveness.

SPONSORSHIPS

Presenting Sponsor — SOLD OUT

Premier Sponsor — $35,000

Recognition in all event materials (invite, website, program, and presentation decks).
Opportunity to moderate a panel session.
Digital Visibility: Link to a full-page ad or company profile on the Summit website.
6 complimentary registrations.

Platinum Sponsor — $25,000

Recognition in all event materials (invite, website, program, and presentation decks).
Acknowledgment from the podium during program transitions.
4 complimentary registrations

Lunch Sponsor — SOLD OUT

Networking Breakfast Sponsor — $17,500 (1 available)

Opportunity to display branded materials or giveaways during breakfast
Recognition in all Summit collateral and signage.
3 complimentary registrations.

Silver Sponsor — $15,000

Recognition in all event materials (invite, website, program, and presentation decks).
Acknowledgment from the podium during program transitions.
3 complimentary registrations.

Bronze Sponsor — $10,000

Recognition in all event materials (invite, website, program, and presentation decks).
Acknowledgment from the podium during program transitions.
2 complimentary registrations.

Partner Sponsor — $5,000