New Yorkers currently struggling with high energy costs are in need of long-term relief. The state’s ambitious move toward a zero-emission grid relies on new renewables, but it can’t end there. Nuclear energy and the around-the-clock safe and emission-free power it provides should play a pivotal role.
With our aging grid facing more and more challenges, we can’t afford to pay for bad energy decisions. Opponents of nuclear like to cite the cost overruns of the Vogtle project, Georgia’s most recent nuclear expansion. And while that project serves as a cautionary tale, it should not be enough to stem the progress we can make toward a more reliable grid by adding to our already existing nuclear energy capabilities. To argue that nuclear energy is inherently too expensive ignores the facts on the ground today. It’s a misunderstanding that obscures the urgent challenges we’re facing, and the realities of the grid we have to run.
Why New York needs nuclear
First, reliability is trending the wrong way. New York’s grid operator projects that electricity demand could nearly double in the next 15 years, and that the state will need to add enough electricity to power the equivalent of 40 million homes. That means firm, clean power capable of supporting the grid at every hour; that means nuclear.
Since 2019, New York has lost nearly twice as much electric generation as it has added, cutting into our reliability margin. As electrification accelerates, and new industrial facilities come online, demand keeps climbing, outpacing supply. Much of that new demand — critical to New York’s economic growth — is coming from upstate New York, where, under Gov. Kathy Hochul’s direction, the New York Power Authority will develop at least 1 gigawatt of advanced nuclear.
To meet rising demand, Hochul correctly has chosen an all-of-the-above approach that includes emission free options like more renewables and nuclear as well as natural gas when needed.
But to be clear, nuclear isn’t a luxury option — it’s the backbone resource that ensures the rest of the system can function. It’s a long‑term, impactful investment that endures for generations, and while renewables are critical as well, we need the combination of firm generation along with those intermittent resources.
And nuclear isn’t new to New York. Most people don’t know that upstate has three nuclear power plants and four reactors. That’s because they have run safely for decades. Alongside the Power Authority’s large hydroelectric facilities, nuclear power has anchored New York’s power grid, operating safely and reliably for decades, providing close to 25% of our energy today.
To ensure the lights stay on and costs remain within reach, an expansion of nuclear power is playing a pivotal role in Hochul’s energy plan.
New nuclear energy generation is here
Second, new nuclear is moving from concept to concrete. The federal government is offering unprecedented financing tools, and is coordinating with states on siting, permitting, and workforce development.
There is now a landscape designed for repeatable, scalable success. New York can either join this wave — or watch other states secure the supply chains, investment and workforce pipelines while we fall behind.
Third, the cost story is changing.
Vogtle was delayed and expensive due to a variety of one-off variables, including changing design plans throughout construction. That’s a lesson learned and a mistake that is unlikely to be repeated by a nuclear developer. In the broader industry, the AP1000’s fully approved final design demonstrates that when we invest steadily in nuclear energy, we create standardized, regulator‑vetted designs that reduce risk, avoid mid‑construction redesigns, and make project timelines far more dependable. And that is just one advanced nuclear technology in the market.
Separately, Ontario just finished the world’s largest nuclear refurbishment ahead of schedule and under budget, securing decades of reliable, clean power. That is the kind of disciplined, public infrastructure project New York can—and should—emulate. In fact, there are more than a dozen nuclear energy reactors in Ontario capable of providing half of the Province’s power. Thanks to a recently signed agreement, New York will be able to tap directly into the lessons Ontario has learned.
Taken together, these three realities — rising demand and shrinking reliability margins, bi-partisan federal momentum and proven models for cost‑controlled execution — underscore a simple point: New York isn’t stepping into the unknown. We’re facing an infrastructure challenge that is urgent, unavoidable and entirely solvable if we choose to meet it with the same ambition that built the backbone systems we still rely on today.
Justin E. Driscoll is the president and CEO of the New York Power Authority, the nation’s largest state-owned electric utility.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New York needs nuclear. Just look at our stretched grid | Opinion
Reporting by Justin E. Driscoll, Special to the USA TODAY Network / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
