2025 Nuclear Summit
On December 9, 2025, the University of South Carolina’s Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing hosted the 2nd Annual South Carolina Nuclear Summit at Colonial Life Arena, bringing together more than 400 attendees and 50+ speakers and panelists for a full day of conversation about the future of energy. Held in partnership with Santee Cooper and the Palmetto Nuclear Coalition, and supported by premier sponsors Brookfield and Google, the summit highlighted South Carolina’s growing role as a national hub for nuclear innovation, investment, and workforce development. From policymakers to engineers to business leaders, the room buzzed with excitement about the state’s opportunity to help power America’s next era of clean, reliable energy.
The momentum was clear from the opening remarks. Governor Henry McMaster captured the spirit of the event when he declared, “South Carolina is number one in the nation in nuclear assets and promise. We are launching the nuclear renaissance of America.” Throughout the day, conversations centered on how nuclear energy can support economic growth, energy reliability, and the expansion of industries such as advanced manufacturing and data centers. U.S. Congressman Russell Fry echoed the sentiment, noting, “America is reclaiming its leadership in advanced nuclear, and South Carolina is leading the charge. The nuclear renaissance is underway, and the proposed completion of V.C. Summer is only the beginning.”
One of the most significant moments of the summit came when Westinghouse Electric Company announced the release of a new independent economic impact study prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) examining the potential completion of the two partially built AP1000® reactors at V.C. Summer. The findings were striking. Construction alone would generate $7.3 billion in South Carolina GDP and support 7,300 high-paying jobs annually, while the completed units would produce $1.6 billion in annual state GDP and support 2,700 long-term jobs over an 80-year operating life. The project would also deliver 2,300 megawatts of clean nuclear capacity—enough to power approximately 1.5 million homes across South Carolina. Westinghouse Interim CEO Dan Sumner emphasized the scale of the opportunity, noting that the reactors would create thousands of skilled jobs while strengthening the state’s growing industrial base.
The impact of the summit extended well beyond the arena itself. Members of Congress, state legislators, agency officials, and industry leaders actively shared coverage and remarks from the event across social media, amplifying the message that South Carolina is at the center of America’s nuclear resurgence. By bringing together leaders from government, industry, and academia, the South Carolina Nuclear Summit underscored a powerful idea: the Palmetto State is not only part of the nation’s energy future—it is leading it.
-Written by: Sarah Evans Sprinkle, PNC contributor
