First New Nuclear Power Construction in New York State in a Generation
Randy Wolken, President & CEO
On Monday, Governor Kathy Hochul held a press conference to announce that she’s directing the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to develop and construct a zero-emission advanced nuclear power plant in the Upstate New York region. This project will support a reliable and affordable electric grid while providing zero-emission electricity to achieve a clean energy economy. This directive builds on other opportunities, previously announced by the governor in the 2025 State of the State address, to catalyze nuclear energy development in New York. This effort contributes to the goal of achieving an affordable, reliable, and safe power grid on the state’s path to a cleaner and more energy-abundant economy.
New York State must embrace an energy policy of abundance that centers on independence and supply chain security to ensure New York controls its energy future. Governor Hochul said, “This is the second time during my administration that I am calling on the New York Power Authority to lead a critical energy initiative, and just as it is doing with the expedited buildout of renewable energy and transmission, it will now safely and rapidly deploy clean, reliable nuclear power for the benefit of all New Yorkers.”
As a result of economic growth, especially in advanced manufacturing, New York needs new, clean electricity resources to meet growing power demands. New industrial development and a growing need for electrification mean that this advanced nuclear plant will complement New York’s ongoing deployment of renewable energy by adding zero-emission baseload power. Advanced nuclear power provides safe, reliable, and affordable clean energy to advance the state’s goal of achieving both cleaner energy generation and a robust boost to the state’s economy. NYPA, in coordination with the Department of Public Service (DPS), will seek to develop at least one new nuclear energy facility with a combined capacity of no less than one gigawatt of electricity, either alone or in partnership with private entities, to support the state’s electric grid and the people and businesses that rely on it.
NYPA will immediately begin evaluating technologies, business models, and locations for this first nuclear power plant and will secure the key partnerships needed for the project. This process will include site and technology feasibility assessments and consideration of financing options, in coordination with the forthcoming studies in the master plan for Responsible Advanced Nuclear Development in New York, led by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and DPS.
Candidate locations will be assessed for suitability based on public safety, strength of community support, compatibility with existing infrastructure, skilled labor, and land availability. This initiative builds on the state’s ongoing financial support for Constellation to pursue an early site permitting process for a new project at its Nine Mile Point Clean Energy Center. It’ll also allow for future collaboration with other states as well as Ontario, building regional momentum to strengthen nuclear supply chains, share best practices, and support the responsible deployment of advanced nuclear technologies.
I had the pleasure of speaking at the press conference and announcement on Monday. As my remarks indicate, (27:48) this is a monumental development supporting the growth of existing members and new manufacturers looking to locate and grow in our state. MACNY highly supports this effort, and we plan to keep members informed of the developments. If you want to learn more, email me at [email protected] or our Director of Government Relations, Tiffany Latino-Gerlock at [email protected].