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A nuclear power plant in Matagorda or Victoria counties would have a huge economic impact on the region, experts say.
Just getting the project started creates new employment opportunities in the area, said Adrian Heymer, senior director of new plant deployment for the Nuclear Energy Institute.
“You can reckon about 1,800 to 2,000 jobs for certainly a good 30-month period during construction,” Heymer said.
The plant proposed for this region likely would employ about 700 permanent employees, said Craig Nesbit, communications director for Exelon Nuclear, the company submitting the application.
“I’m thinking probably a third to half of those are skilled trades – electricians, mechanics,” he said. “Another 100 or so are engineers and the rest are support personnel – operators, control room operators.”
Employees in the nuclear energy field are well-paid, Nesbit said.
“It’s not uncommon at all to have a control room operator making a six-figure annual income,” he said. “They work for it, don’t get me wrong. They have a lot of responsibility, and not everybody can do it.”
Workers go through intense training, Nesbit said.
“They go into a two-year training program that’s industry-run,” he said. “Then they hold a series of positions, working their way up to the control room. They go through a tremendous amount of training, on-going, forever, as long as they want to keep their license.”
Employee training brings changes to communities, Nesbit said, as related university courses likely would come to any area with a need.
Such projects are exciting from an economic standpoint, said Dale Fowler, president of the Victoria Economic Development Corp.
“The increase of this level of primary jobs could mean a significant amount of spin-off into local economy,” he said. “The pay scale would allow employees and their families to spend money in other sectors of society.”
Fowler said he expects residential development to increase in the area if the plant comes to be.
“These employees will have the types of jobs that can support a new home,” he said. “The changes we’ll see could be felt among the whole region.”
Victoria County’s tax base is about $4 billion, Fowler said, and this project would basically double that.
Even if the plant were to set up in Matagorda County, Nesbit said Victoria would likely see population growth. Employees often live in one city but work in another. The Matagorda location is about 60 miles from Victoria.
Such plants will drive the economy for generations, Heymer said. They’re built to last about 60 years, and the jobs can’t be exported.
“You’ve also got to think that it’ll take four to five years to build and probably four to five years to de-commission,” he said. “You’ve got a facility there that will provide jobs for the immediate location of 60 to 70 years. You’re probably looking at two to three generations that could actually have employment at this facility.”
Fowler said Exelon itself could bring positive things to the area. The company rewards its employees for contributing to the local communities, through education and volunteer work, he said.
“I would perceive them to be very good corporate citizens,”Fowler said. “It’s not just allowing employees to be involved in the community, but they reward them for doing it.”
Allison Miles is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact her at 361-580-6511 or amiles@vicad.com.