New York Proposes First Nuclear Plant in Decades

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New York Proposes First Nuclear Plant in Decades \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Governor Kathy Hochul proposed building New York’s first new nuclear power plant in over 30 years. The plant, with at least one gigawatt capacity, would boost clean energy and job creation. Critics warn of cost, safety risks, and nuclear waste, despite Hochul’s safety assurances.

Quick Looks

Gov. Kathy Hochul proposes advanced nuclear plant in upstate New York.
Zero-emission goal: Facility to help transition from fossil fuels.
Planned output: Minimum one gigawatt, raising state nuclear capacity to 4.3 GW.
Site not chosen yet, but upstate communities show interest.
Potential candidate: Nine Mile Point plant in Oswego.
Job creation forecast: 1,600 construction, 1,200 permanent jobs.
Critics push back: Nuclear waste, high cost, safety concerns cited.
National context: Only a few new U.S. plants built in decades.
Comparison: Georgia’s Plant Vogtle cost $35 billion, 7-year delay.
TVA project: Next-gen reactor plan at Clinch River, Tennessee.

Deep Look

Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled a bold new energy initiative on Monday: constructing New York’s first new nuclear power plant in more than three decades. In a speech at the Niagara County Power Project in Lewiston, Hochul directed the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to develop a next-generation, zero-emission nuclear facility aimed at delivering cleaner, more reliable, and affordable electricity to the state.

The proposed plant would have a combined capacity of at least one gigawatt, increasing the state’s total nuclear energy output to approximately 4.3 gigawatts. This move marks a significant policy shift as New York, like many other states, has largely avoided new nuclear construction due to concerns over cost, safety, and radioactive waste.

Energy Independence and Economic Development

Hochul stressed the strategic importance of diversifying and strengthening the state’s energy infrastructure as it phases out aging fossil fuel plants. She emphasized that energy independence is essential to attracting major manufacturers and securing high-paying, long-term jobs across New York.

“This is not your grandparents’ nuclear reactor,” Hochul declared. “The new plan will be a model of 21st-century nuclear design with safety at the forefront, automatic safety systems to enhance the containment, and rigorous environmental standards.”

She added that the NYPA will seek to establish at least one facility, though multiple sites may be considered based on community response and logistical feasibility. Hochul noted strong local interest, stating, “Everybody is raising their hand right now. It’s going to be hard to decide.”

Upstate Locations in the Spotlight

While no official site has been selected, one likely contender is the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station in Oswego, already home to two reactors. The Hochul administration has been supportive of Maryland-based Constellation Energy’s bid to add a third reactor to the site. Constellation currently owns and operates all three of New York’s existing nuclear facilities—Nine Mile Point, the Robert Emmett Ginna plant, and the James A. FitzPatrick plant—all located along Lake Ontario.

Nuclear Power: A Divisive Issue

Despite Hochul’s optimistic tone and job creation estimates (1,600 construction jobs and 1,200 permanent positions), her proposal drew immediate criticism from environmental groups and health advocates. Alfred Meyer, treasurer of Physicians for Social Responsibility’s New York chapter, denounced the plan as wasteful and dangerous.

“Nuclear power is not clean or green energy,” Meyer said. “It is damaging to public health and the environment.” He argued that nuclear plants are slow to build, exceedingly expensive, and produce hazardous waste that remains toxic for thousands of years.

Meyer and others assert that investments would be better spent accelerating development of wind, solar, and battery storage technologies—renewables that are cheaper, faster to deploy, and truly emissions-free.

National Nuclear Landscape

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are currently 54 operating nuclear power plants in the United States. New York’s last new plant—Nine Mile Point Unit 2—came online in 1989. At the state’s nuclear energy peak, plants produced about 5.4 gigawatts, accounting for one-third of the electrical grid.

However, American utilities have largely backed away from new nuclear construction due to ballooning costs and construction delays. The most recent large-scale project, Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4, finished in 2023 and came in nearly $35 billion over budget, a staggering seven years behind schedule.

Still, interest in nuclear energy has seen a mild resurgence amid climate change goals and a push for cleaner baseload power. The Tennessee Valley Authority recently applied for regulatory approval to build a “next-generation” reactor at the Clinch River site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, reflecting growing interest in smaller, more modular reactor designs.

Historical Context: From Indian Point to Today

The NYPA once operated two nuclear facilities: Indian Point and FitzPatrick. Indian Point, located just 25 miles north of New York City along the Hudson River, was decommissioned in 2021 after long-standing public concern over safety and environmental risks. FitzPatrick was sold to Constellation in 2000.

Today, nuclear energy still accounts for roughly 20% of New York’s electricity, and with the closure of Indian Point, that percentage is more concentrated in upstate communities.

Hochul’s plan aims not just to stabilize grid reliability but to reclaim some of the capacity lost from shuttered plants while advancing the state’s ambitious climate targets. But whether this revival of nuclear power will gain broader political and public support remains to be seen.