A $900,000 gift from San Diego-based General Atomics along with $3 million in state lottery proceeds will dramatically expand nuclear power research at the University of South Carolina.
On Tuesday, the school announced it will establish the General Atomics Center for Development of Transformational Nuclear Technologies within USC’s engineering department.
“Demand for safe, reliable and affordable electricity is increasing. At the same time events in Japan have raised the topic of nuclear power and safety. Researchers at this center will work to ensure that nuclear power remains safe, clean and affordable and, in the course of their work, help train a new generation of nuclear engineers for this growing industry,” USC President Harris Pastides said in a release.
Areas of research will include fuel reprocessing, non-proliferation and reactor design, including high-temperature fast reactors. It will also train engineers and scientists to meet the future needs of the U.S. power reactor fleet.