CHARLESTON, SC NEWS - LIVE 5 WCSC Breaking News, Weather, SportsDOE chief visits SC, touts nuclear and green power
Member Center:
Associated Press - November 30, 2009 2:55 PM ET
AIKEN, S.C. (AP) - The Energy Department's top official says a new project at South Carolina's Savannah River Site will help the environment and create new jobs.
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu attended a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for a $795 million biomass facility at the old nuclear weapons complex near Aiken.
Chu says 800 workers will be needed to build a new steam-generating station which will burn 322,000 tons of wood products and shredded tires annually.
The station is scheduled to open in December 2011 and will replace a coal-fired facility. Estimates show the project will save $34 million a year in energy and maintenance costs.
Chu also visited a General Electric plant in Greenville, and emphasized that President Barack Obama is committed to nuclear power.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
