"We have the history, we have the willpower, we have the programs and, in South Carolina, we have the talent base for a nuclear renaissance," said Tom Zarges, URS Washington Division president. In the United States, "we have aging plants, and we have a growing demand for energy. ... What we offer today is the most advanced nuclear energy technology."

The Nuclear Center, part of URS Washington Division, a company that designs, engineers and services commercial nuclear power plants, announced this spring its plans to locate its engineering and development headquarters in Indian Land. The company already has moved about 20 employees into the former HSBC Mortgage building in EdgeWater Corporate Park near the intersection of U.S. 521 and S.C. 160.

A company spokeswoman said about 100 workers will be in the office by the end of the year, and up to 400 mostly engineering jobs will be housed in the building eventually. Worldwide, URS employs 56,000 people in three divisions in more than 30 countries.

U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., and U.S. Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., both praised the company during the dedication for its commitment to energy research.

DeMint used the platform to compare the absence of a new nuclear plant in America over the past 30 years to the lack of exploration for new oil. He accused Washington of "political mismanagement" in its energy policies and said electricity costs will soon follow gas prices skyward if Americas don't vote for and demand pro-nuclear energy policies.

"We've got to produce a better alternative. ... The answer is going to be in this building," DeMint said Monday. "People need to connect the dots. For 30 years, we've been voting in higher gas prices, and we're on the way to voting in higher electricity prices."

DeMint said "pressure groups" in Washington for years have suggested nuclear energy isn't good for the environment, while in the meantime coal-burning power plants have increased. Instead, he said nuclear technology could provide energy and be environmentally-friendly at the same time.

"We need to move ahead full bore with nuclear energy," he said. "We can generate nuclear energy in this country, and we can do it safely and quickly. ... And I think we can do it in the next 10 years."

While DeMint promised to "expedite" pro-nuclear policies, URS officials said the first order of business in Indian Land will be recruiting a staff. A series of career fairs will be held this spring around the Southeast to locate engineers and support staff.

Company officials said the Indian Land office will be a hub for design and construction operations of modern nuclear power plants around the globe. Of the 103 existing nuclear plants in the world, Zarges said URS has had a hand in 49 of them.

Zarges said the company selected South Carolina for its newest office because 75 percent of new power production is expected to be in the Southeast. The company also has existing operations at the Savannah River Site near Aiken and access to graduates of engineering colleges in the Southeast, Zarges said, calling South Carolina "an attractive place for such technical development."

Lancaster County Council Chairman Rudy Carter welcomed the Nuclear Center to Indian Land, praising the company for its track record and high-paying jobs.

"This is the kind of announcement every politician is proud of," he said. "It is my hope that all 56,000 employees in 30 countries will be clamoring for a transfer to Indian Land."