ALBANY, New York — Opposition from local leaders could sink any effort to restart the Indian Point nuclear plant, a prospect floated by the company tasked with dismantling the now-closed reactors.
County and town officials would have to sign off on Holtec’s tentative pitch to repower the 2,000 megawatt nuclear plant — and they aren’t on board. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office also hasn’t engaged in any talks about the idea, despite her support for new nuclear power in upstate New York.
“The idea of reactivating a brand new nuclear plant at that location would be anathema to most of the people in this community,” said Richard Becker, the Democratic supervisor of the town of Cortlandt, where Indian Point is located.
Why it matters: Under the terms of the legal agreement governing Holtec’s takeover of the closed nuclear plant, all the governmental parties — state, county, town, village and school district — would have to agree to allow new nuclear power at Indian Point. Concerted local opposition could quickly pop the trial balloon Holtec launched last week.
