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Though it has been almost 30 years since a nuclear power plant was built in the U.S., the nation's largest energy companies are preparing to hire more employees in the sector over the next decade.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is currently reviewing 28 license applications from companies like Westinghouse, General Electric, the Shaw Group and Areva, to begin building a new nuclear power plant, Forbes reports.

At least four of those plants are slated to open within the next five years, Edward Quinn, a former president of the interest group the American Nuclear Society, told the news source.

The renewed interest in nuclear power as an energy source will directly affect the employment of nuclear engineers, who typically research and develop new designs for reactors and work to improve waste management standards, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Greg Kruger, vice president for the staffing company Adecco, told Forbes that he's currently hiring for hundreds of jobs related to nuclear engineering.

However, not all of the new jobs will be for nuclear engineers. According to Quinn, only between 5 and 10 percent of employees who work at a nuclear plant hold an engineering degree.

The plants are likely to give construction workers jobs as welders and grinders, and other skilled craftsmen like electricians, carpenters, boiler makers and pipe fitters.

Once the French nuclear power corporation Areva receives a loan guarantee, it plans to open power facilities in Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina and Idaho. For the four projects combined, Areva plans to hire more than 1,000 new employees this year.

According to a July 2009 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the average starting salary for a nuclear engineer was $61,610 per year.