On Tuesday Governor Perdue joined representatives from Progress Energy for a tour of the Harris Nuclear Plant in New Hill, just outside of Holly Springs. She spent close to two hours on site, learning about the nuclear energy process and the security, engineering and management that goes into running the plant.
What first impressed the governor was the intense security at the site; next was the technology. She got a firsthand look at how energy is generated at the plant, which utilizes a pressurized water reactor. Progress employees some 450 people at the site, and it generates enough energy to power around 550,000 homes.
Perdue visited the GE’s Wilmington facility earlier this year where she witnessed the manufacturing process for fuel rods used in nuclear plants. Tuesday’s visit was a natural next step as the governor learns how nuclear fits in the overall national picture of energy production.
