Tuesday, Sept. 29
7:30–8:30 a.m. | Registration & Check-In
Thompson Construction Breakfast
8:30 a.m. | Welcome & Opening Remarks
Greg Thompson — CEO, Thompson Construction
8:40 a.m. | Keynote Remarks
Building America’s Nuclear Workforce: Federal Investment to Support the Next Generation of Nuclear Deployment
Introduction
Keynote:
James P. Danly — U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy
Special Signing Ceremony
Opening Remarks:
Ethel Bunch — Founder & President, Palmetto Nuclear Coalition
9:00 a.m. | National Investment & Leadership Forum
The Nuclear Capital: Building America’s Next Industrial Powerhouse in South Carolina
Remarks and Introduction of Panel:
Michael D. Amiridis — President, University of South Carolina
Moderator:
Ethel Bunch — Founder & President, Palmetto Nuclear Coalition
Panelists:
Darla Moore — Investor, Philanthropist & Former Wall Street Executive
Alex Molinaroli — Former Chairman & CEO, Johnson Controls
The Honorable G. Murrell Smith Jr. — Speaker, South Carolina House of Representatives
10:00 a.m. | Building America’s Nuclear Workforce
Moderator:
Rounette Nader — Vice President, New Nuclear Generation and License Renewal, Duke Energy
Panelists:
Luca Oriani — President, APX, Westinghouse Electric Company
Natalie Wane — Manager of Global Workforce Services & Principal Vice President, Bechtel
Daniel Rickenmann — Mayor, City of Columbia
Tim Hardee — President, South Carolina Technical College System
Hossein Haj-Hariri — Dean, USC Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing
10:45 a.m. | Break
11:00 a.m. | Governor’s Remarks
Introduction:
Ethel Bunch — Founder & President, Palmetto Nuclear Coalition
Special Remarks:
Governor Henry McMaster
11:20 a.m. | Special Remarks
Tim Walsh — Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management, U.S. Department of Energy
11:30 a.m. | National Security & Deployment Forum
New Missions, Same Ground: How Federal Land Is Becoming the Platform for Advanced Nuclear and AI Infrastructure
Moderator:
Robbie Bennett — President & CEO, SRS Community Reuse Organization
Panelists:
Tim Walsh — Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management, U.S. Department of Energy
Harrison Boyd — Manager of Nuclear Projects, Amentum
Jeff Uphues — CEO, DC BLOX
Matt Griffin — Head of Nuclear Affairs, Antares
Representative — Nucleo
Adrienne Schweer — Head of Government Affairs, Oklo
12:30 p.m. | Blanchard Machinery Leadership Lunch
Welcome & Remarks:
Boyd Blanchard — President & CEO, Blanchard Machinery Company
12:45 p.m. | National Nuclear Strategy Forum
South Carolina’s Nuclear Moment: From State Leadership to National Strategy
Moderator:
Todd Abrajano — President & CEO, United States Nuclear Industry Council
Participants:
Alex Fitzsimmons — Associate Deputy Secretary of Energy & Senior Advisor to the Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
Congressman Russell Fry — U.S. Representative, South Carolina’s Seventh Congressional District
1:25 p.m. | break
1:45 p.m. | National Capital Forum
Financing America’s Nuclear Future: Making Nuclear Bankable
A high-level discussion on the financial structures, federal tools, utility economics, risk allocation, and repeatable deployment models needed to attract private capital and accelerate nuclear deployment at scale.
Moderator:
Maria Korsnick — President & CEO, Nuclear Energy Institute
Panelists:
Julie Kozeracki — Chief Investment Officer (Acting), U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Dominance Financing
Marcus Enns — Managing Director, Brookfield’s Energy Group
Bill Currens — Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning, Carolinas, Duke Energy
Clay Rikard — Senior Vice President, System Planning, Southern Company
2:30 p.m. | Fireside Chat
From Innovation to Industry: Building Nuclear in South Carolina
Matt MacVicar — Vice President, SMR Strategy & Business Development, Rolls-Royce
Cristina Long Paredes — Executive Director, SC Nexus
3:00 p.m. | EXPLORE. CONNECT. DISCOVER.
Exhibition & Networking
Visit exhibitors, connect with industry leaders, and continue the conversation.
3:30 p.m. | Fairfield Deployment Forum
Fairfield Project: America’s Most Advanced Nuclear Site
Remarks
Jimmy Staton — President & CEO, Santee Cooper
Moderator:
Amy Tinsley — Vice President of Manufacturing Councils & Secretary of the Board,South Carolina Manufacturers and Commerce
Panelists:
Mike Finissi — Deputy Chief Executive Officer & Chief Operating Officer, Santee Cooper
Sam Meyers — Senior Vice President, Brookfield Asset Management
Luca Oriani — President, APX, Westinghouse Electric Company
Joe Klecha — Chief Nuclear Officer, The Nuclear Company