U.S. Department of Energy invests $50M to boost nuclear energy education in Great Lakes region

Nuclear education/ Innovation News Network

The U.S. Department of Energy is investing $50 million to expand nuclear energy education across the Great Lakes region. The funding will support partnerships between multiple universities, develop new programs, and help train the next generation of nuclear energy professionals.

“I just think the energy field is going to be a very exciting field for young people to work in going forward, and we have to let them know it exists,” said Representative Marcy Kaptur. The investment comes as industry experts anticipate growing demand for nuclear energy in the coming years.

Gary Leidich, chair of the Great Lakes Partnership to Enhance the Nuclear Workforce Advisory Board, emphasized the need for reliable power. “We need that baseload capacity back. A lot of that load growth comes from data centers. Electrical vehicles, I’m not so sure about anymore, but the data center load growth is spectacular across the whole country,” he said.

A significant portion of the funding will go to the University of Toledo, which received $19.2 million—the largest federal award in the university’s history. “We will be hiring new faculty, offering new certificates, and developing new courses,” said University of Toledo president Frank Calzonetti. Students will also benefit from co-op and internship opportunities at nuclear sites, including the Davis-Besse nuclear plant.

The initiative spans beyond northwest Ohio, with the University of Michigan expanding its digital simulation labs. Todd Allen from the university explained, “These labs allow people to practice running reactors and learn the consequences. Artificial intelligence, which is going to be part of modern industry, will also be integrated into nuclear training.”

Kaptur highlighted the importance of the investment for the region. “The Great Lakes currently produce one-third of the United States’ nuclear power. There couldn’t be a more important industry with skilled workers than this one that connects to every household, every business, every classroom, every health facility,” she said.