For Immediate Release
WASHINGTON, DC – On the heels of President Obama’s announcement that federal loan guarantees will be provided for the project, America’s Building Trades Unions announced today an agreement with Stone & Webster Construction Inc., a subsidiary of The Shaw Group Inc., to construct Units 3 and 4 at the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Waynesboro, GA under the Nuclear Power Construction Labor Agreement.  

Georgia Power (a Southern Company), Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power, and Dalton Utilities are adding Units 3 and 4 at Plant Vogtle to meet the ever-increasing power needs of its customers in that region.  Shaw is providing engineering and construction services for the two proposed nuclear power units.  

The two new units represent a $14 billion capital investment in Georgia and will create approximately 3,000 construction jobs and 800 high-paying permanent jobs.

A significant component of this agreement will be the utilization of the Building Trades’ skilled craft apprenticeship programs – an $800 million per year, privately-funded, training infrastructure that is the envy of the world.  These training programs will be utilized for the workforce development needs of this particular project, which will translate into career training opportunities for residents in the Burke, Georgia area.  Similarly, these programs have an important role to play in the revitalization of the American nuclear power industry as a whole.  At every step of the way, agreements such as this one with Shaw will be the catalyst for career training opportunities for communities across the nation.

In total, this is an unparalleled, no-nonsense agreement…one that recognizes and makes a commitment to the national importance of nuclear power.  Further, the agreement implicitly addresses the unique challenges associated with nuclear power plant construction, and tackles problems previously encountered in the construction of nuclear power generation facilities.

Perhaps most importantly, the agreement is structured to maximize efficiencies and contain costs.

“We are extremely pleased to have this agreement in place for the construction of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4,” said Mark H. Ayers, President of the Building and Construction Trades Department.  “Nuclear power is critical for the economic resurgence of United States, and our unions are determined to assist the industry in making sure that this comeback is a resounding success story…not only for the electric utility industry, but for the nation.  And the tri-partite approach that we endorse today – where the needs of the owner, the contractor and the worker evolve into a synergy of efficiency and success – points to our desire to demonstrate ‘Value on Display…Every Day.’”