Nuclear power plant engineering firm picks S.C. for 400-job operation

COLUMBIA, S.C. — URS Corporation, a provider of engineering, construction and technical services for nuclear power plants, will open a “Nuclear Center” in Fort Mill, S.C.

The operation will create some 400 jobs. The announcement of the office was made in a joint statement with S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford. URS said it would invest some $6.5 million in the project.

URS works closely with Duke Power, which has included new nuclear power and coal-fired plants as part of its growth strategy. Duke Power is based in nearby Charlotte, N.C.

The URS (NYSE: URS) office will be part of the firm’s Washington Division. URS also has an office in Aiken, S.C.

Tom Zarges, president of the URS Washington Division, said the Fort Mill office “will be the new hub for our commercial nuclear business.”

“The Washington Division has been providing nuclear expertise since the industry’s infancy, and we are well positioned to help our clients build the next generation of plants needed to meet the growing demand for clean and dependable energy,” he said in a statement. “With new nuclear facilities expected to be concentrated in the southeastern part of the country, South Carolina is an ideal location for our URS Nuclear Center headquarters.”

The URS division has been involved in the engineering and/or construction of 49 nuclear power plants in the U.S. and several other countries.

A series of job fairs will be put on by the company. For details, see the Web link with this story.