Toshiba America Nuclear Energy Corporation, a manufacturer and distributor of nuclear reactors, will invest $2.8 million to open a national project management and engineering center in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to the North Carolina governor's office. The company expects to create 194 new jobs at an average annual salary of $122,037 plus benefits. Toshiba America Nuclear is a subsidiary of Japan-based Toshiba Corporation and is headquartered in Virginia. The year-old company, which produces advanced boiling-water nuclear reactors and provides a number of professional services related to their maintenance and engineering, is the prime contractor for two nuclear reactors planned for the Houston, Texas, area. Pending licensing by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, they will be the first reactors built in the United States in more than 30 years. "Charlotte is becoming the place to be in the U.S. for nuclear engineers," says Fuyuki Saito, the company's president and CEO. "The quality of the work force, quality of life, and strong support we have received from state and local officials make Charlotte a perfect fit for our new center." The state will provide Toshiba America Nuclear Energy with financial incentives, contingent on job creation, that could reach $4.9 million over a nine-year period. The governor's office did not say when the new facility would be operational, but says the company will begin the hiring process this week.
