Demand for nuclear engineers rising

ROLLA, Mo., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Demand for young nuclear engineers is on the rise, with nearly 20,000 veteran engineers poised to retire by 2012.

Missouri University of Science & Technology is one of a number of colleges offering nuclear engineering camps to attract new students, the St. Louis (Mo.) Post-Dispatch reported Monday.

The newspaper said rising fuel prices and concern about global warming are behind a comeback for nuclear power in the United States and other countries.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said it has received applications for 18 new nuclear reactors since 2006 and expects another 16 applications by 2010.

William Burchill of the American Nuclear Society said U.S. utilities will need to hire 470 nuclear engineers

a year to keep up with retirement and attrition. Another 200 new hires will be needed each year to staff reactors expected to begin operation over the next decade, the newspaper said.