COLUMBIA, S.C. - U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett called Monday for Congress to do more to get nuclear plants built, urging the nation’s lawmakers to support federal loans guarantees, tax breaks, training programs and streamlined approval of permits to spur the energy industry.

“You know these companies are going to have a tremendous amount of money invested, so we want to make sure the process is smooth,” Barrett said.

Barrett said development of more nuclear power will translate into more manufacturing jobs and more training opportunities.

For instance, there’s no U.S. company that now makes some of the key valves and pipes the industry needs. “You have to go to Japan. Why don’t we have that here in the good old U.S. of A. This bill addresses that.”

Barrett pointed to programs that have been launched at Florence-Darlington Technical College to train welders and at South Carolina State University to train engineers.

Kenneth C. Okafor coordinates S.C. State’s program, the only bachelor’s of science degree program in the state for nuclear engineers. It started in the 2002 school year with five students and now has 50.

He’d welcome more federal money to a program largely built on federal grants.

“They’re providing the money to run this program,” Okafor said. “Money is always a big help.”

Barrett said his legislation also will call for private contractors to handle more of the nuclear waste the industry generates.

Barrett said he’d file the bill before the session ends in October. There was no cost estimate for the tax breaks and loan guarantees it includes, Barrett spokeswoman Colleen Mangone said.

Federal legislation in the Senate already is giving away too much to the industry, said Tom Clements, the regional campaign coordinator for Friends of the Earth, a nuclear power watchdog group.

“It looks to me like this a big government bailout,” Clements told Barrett at a news conference.

“These are not handouts. These are loans,” Barrett responded.

South Carolina is playing a big role in building new plants: Duke Energy is seeking licensing for two reactors in Cherokee County and South Carolina Electric and Gas and Santee Cooper are seeking approval for two they will operate in Fairfield County.

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