Bedford awaits funding news for nuclear energy research center

Justin Faulconer and Ray Reed
Published: July 29, 2008

Plans to construct a multi-million-dollar center for nuclear energy research in Bedford County could get a major funding boost later this week.

The Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission will meet in Bristol on Thursday to consider funding a number of projects — including $7.6 million for Lynchburg’s Center for Advanced Engineering and Research (CAER).

Bob Bailey, CAER executive director, said the commission’s approval would provide the funding necessary to build the 25,000-square-foot research center at the New London Business and Technology Center off U.S. 460.

CAER currently contracts with Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia and Liberty University for expertise, Bailey said. A new

facility would allow faculty to locate in the region, providing more educational opportunities.

“We’ll also be doing research in the wireless communications field,” Bailey said.

Nuclear energy, particularly in the Lynchburg area, was part of the Virginia Energy Plan released by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine in September 2007.

The plan’s goals, to be achieved by 2017, called for business expansion and more research into alternative transportation fuels, nuclear technology, coastal energy production, and carbon capture and storage.

Nuclear energy is one of Virginia’s largest fuel imports after petroleum, the plan said, and about a third of the state’s electric power is produced by nuclear plants at Surry and North Anna.

Energy-related research is strong in the Lynchburg area at nuclear power companies Areva and Babcock & Wilcox Co., the plan said, and other energy research is conducted by businesses throughout the state.

“Virginia faces a challenge coordinating these varied energy research and development activities,” and the state should create “an energy R&D roadmap” that could lead to investments and competitive bidding for federal research projects, the plan stated.

“Virginia needs a governance structure for coordinating state energy R&D investments and activities,” the plan stated.

The plan’s goals for energy economic development start with support for “existing businesses wishing to make substantial new investments in energy activities, such as around the nuclear business cluster in Lynchburg.”

Three months after the statewide plan was released, Areva executives in Lynchburg disclosed plans to hire up to 500 engineers so the company can do detailed design work for its next-generation nuclear power reactor. Concept plans for the reactor were submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in December.

One of the statewide plan’s recommendations was: “Virginia should provide long-term financial support to the Center for Advanced Engineering and Research in Lynchburg.

“This effort should be designed to help solve the problems of a growing shortage of trained nuclear-industry workers.”

Tim Pfohl, the state tobacco commission’s director of grant programs, said the commission approved a $400,000 grant last fall for CAER to do a feasibility study on the proposed research center.

Pfohl said a special projects committee met last week and recommended full funding for CAER’s request.

The project is a culmination of a concerted effort by government officials and businesses in the Region 2000 area, he said, and has a lot of strong attributes, particularly for the private sector and education.

Sue Montgomery, Bedford County’s director of economic development, said the county’s economic development authority approved the center’s location in the largest lot within the business park, which would make the center visible from U.S. 460.

“All of us in the region have been working on this for some time,” said Montgomery. “It’s a benefit to the region — to bring university research capability.”

Bailey said growth in research activity would call for positions such as an executive director, a research director, and a director for education and outreach. Research staff and technicians would also be needed, he said, with their size dictated by grant funds from various sources.