by Chris Stocker, Crane Nuclear
The United States stands at the threshold of a historic opportunity: building a new fleet of Westinghouse AP1000® nuclear power plants that could reshape our energy system—and our workforce—for generations.
Recently, I joined more than 40 nuclear suppliers alongside Westinghouse Electric Company in Washington, D.C. to meet with members of Congress. Our message was simple: building 10 new advanced AP1000 modular reactors is not just an energy strategy—it’s an economic engine.
Crane Valve Institute.
The numbers tell a compelling story. A recent independent analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that building a 10-unit fleet of AP1000 reactors in the United States would support more than 44,000 high-quality jobs annually during construction. That translates to careers in welding, machining, electrical work, engineering, project management and digital control—jobs that anchor families and strengthen communities. The economic ripple effects are just as powerful:
$54.7 billion in labor income during construction
$20.1 billion in tax revenues
$329 billion in labor income over 80 years of operation
$271 billion in long-term tax revenues
And the benefits don’t end when construction is complete. Once operational, this AP1000 fleet would support 22,500 permanent jobs every year for decades, while contributing more than $1 trillion in economic output during its lifetime. These are long-term, stable positions that sustain entire communities, from plant operators to maintenance crews to the suppliers who support them.
At Crane Nuclear, we see this impact firsthand. As a specialized supplier of safety-critical valves, valve diagnostics and maintenance services, our work connects directly to the skilled workforce that powers the nuclear industry. During seasonal outages for maintenance work at nuclear plants alone, we deploy anywhere from 40–150 highly trained workers to sites across the country. At any given outage, total site maintenance workforce, including ours, can reach 800 to 1,000 workers—individuals who live, work and spend in the surrounding communities.
Young professionals taking part in the company’s Crane Valve Institute, a six-week, hands-on training program is designed to quickly prepare individuals for high-demand technical roles.
When Crane Nuclear supported the construction of two AP1000 units at Plant Vogtle in Georgia, the demand was immediate and significant. At our Bolingbrook, Illinois manufacturing facility, we doubled our workforce to meet production needs of our highly-engineered, safety-related specialty valves. Across the entire Westinghouse supply chain, similar expansions were happening.
We also supplied 24 motor-operated valve technicians to support the initial start-up testing at Vogtle, highlighting the high-skill, high-wage jobs nuclear construction brings to the workforce.
The real story is not just about the jobs that would be created by the construction of this new fleet of nuclear plants—it’s about the workforce we build. Nuclear projects require a highly skilled workforce: pipefitters, valve technicians, control system specialists and nuclear-qualified engineers. Without a deliberate effort to build that talent pipeline, the promise of a nuclear resurgence will fall short.
That’s why we’ve created the Crane Valve Institute. Our six-week, hands-on training program is designed to quickly prepare individuals for high-demand technical roles. We partner with high schools and technical colleges in rural communities to connect students with well-paying careers that offer both immediate opportunity and long-term growth.
That is what a nuclear buildout really represents: not just construction projects, but the creation of an entirely new generation of skilled workers to sustain and maintain the fleet.
Building a 10-unit fleet of AP1000 plants will have a multiplier effect across the country. It’s about welders in Pennsylvania, electricians in Texas, engineers in Illinois and manufacturers across the country. It’s about giving the next generation a reason to pursue skilled trades and technical careers.
The AP1000 technology isn’t just a reactor — it’s the foundation for the next era of abundant, reliable power, creating jobs and security while shaping the way we power communities and industries tomorrow.
If we commit to building 10 new nuclear plants, we are not just investing in energy—we are investing in American workers.
And that is a future worth building.
To read the full analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers, click here.