New York plans to spend $40 million developing the next generation of nuclear workers.
The New York Power Authority (NYPA) wants to hear from technical high schools, community colleges, universities and others interested in training the workforce needed to fill jobs in the nuclear energy industry in the coming years.
Last year, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced plans to have NYPA develop 1 gigawatt of advanced nuclear energy upstate, enough to power roughly 1 million homes. Eight upstate communities and dozens of developers have already expressed interest.
“By taking a proactive approach, we are preparing our state to take advantage of the opportunities associated with advanced nuclear, which will provide round-the-clock reliable clean energy while cultivating the partnerships needed to bring the project from concept to concrete,” Hochul said Monday, June 1.
Eligible training programs can apply to NYPA for the funding, which will be available over four years. Aside from school-based programs, funding will go to unions, trade associations, manufacturers, community organizations, and recognized Native American nations and tribal organizations. Money will cover training, hands-on experience, paid internships as well as job placement in construction and operations roles.
Also Monday, the state announced it’s opening up the next phase of its upstate nuclear push by inviting developers to establish their qualifications and submit applications.
The counties vying to host nuclear in NY
In January, the state announced that 23 developers — among them Constellation Energy, the company that operates three upstate nuclear plants — indicated they’d like to partner with NYPA to develop nuclear power.
Six counties, the city of Dunkirk and a Rochester utility that supplies power to the Eastman Business Park have expressed interest in hosting. The counties are Broome, Jefferson, Oswego, Schuyler, St. Lawrence, and Wayne.
“These solicitations will help NYPA establish the roadmap for deploying the first new nuclear facility in New York in a generation that will deliver the dependable, emissions‑free power we will rely on for decades to come,” said NYPA President and CEO Justin Driscoll.
For more information on both opportunities go here.
NYPA is partnering with Ontario Power Generation to develop the state-of-the-art nuclear generation needed to supply power to data centers and semiconductor manufacturers planned upstate.
Hochul’s embrace of nuclear power doesn’t extend to the downstate region of the state. Last year, the governor, in a letter to Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins, a fellow Democrat, dismissed talk of restarting the Indian Point nuclear power plant that shut down in 2021.
“Let me say this plainly: No,” Hochul said. “There have been no discussions or plans, and I would not support efforts to do so.”
Thomas C. Zambito covers energy, transportation and economic growth for the USA TODAY Network’s New York State team. He’s won dozens of state and national writing awards from the Associated Press, Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Deadline Club and others during a decades-long career that’s included stops at the New York Daily News, The Star-Ledger of Newark and The Record of Hackensack. He can be reached at tzambito@lohud.com
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY is spending $40M to train future nuclear workers. How to access funds
Reporting by Thomas C. Zambito, New York State Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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