Mar. 23—Construction of the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative at USC Aiken will finally begin soon.

The Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management, USC Aiken and Northwind Construction Services LLC announced Wednesday site preparation for the 60,000-square-feet facility will begin this week with construction to follow thereafter.

Daren Timmons, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs at USC Aiken, said the school was excited to make the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative a reality.

"Our students will soon benefit from outstanding research and development opportunities, as well as hands-on learning experiences that will provide them with a clear advantage when entering the workforce," Timmons said.

Tony Polk, director of the Savannah River Laboratory Office, said the Department of Energy has a critical need for safer, more cost-effective technology, facilities and expertise to complete the safe cleanup of Cold War legacy waste.

"The Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative will provide a manufacturing development venue for Department of Energy mission work and facilitate academic and industry partnerships in state-of-the-art laboratory space," Polk said.

The facility will be operated by Savannah River National Laboratory and will be located between the existing USC Aiken campus and Trolley Line Road, next to the proposed National Guard Cybersecurity Readiness Center and collaboration space.

Congressman Joe Wilson, Department of Energy Environmental Management Senior Advisor Ike White, Savannah River National Laboratory Director Vahid Majidi, USCA Chancellor Dan Heimmermann, former USCA Chancellor Sandra Jordan and six others ceremonially broke ground on the facility last April.

The project has been in the works for nearly a decade. Construction was planned to begin in 2020 but was delayed several times.

The facility is expected to be completed in 2024 and will be managed and operated by the Savannah River National Laboratory.