ALBANY, New York — The state’s utility regulator is moving forward with plans to support 4 gigawatts of new nuclear power, enough to supply 4 million homes.
The Public Service Commission began a formal process seeking input on how to accomplish Gov. Kathy Hochul’s directive for new nuclear energy at its monthly meeting Thursday. Policymakers are making the case for new nuclear power as a solution to New York’s growing energy demand and zero-emissions electricity goal.
“Given the long lead times for nuclear deployment and the need to coordinate with transmission investments, early planning is necessary to successfully deploy the nuclear reliability backbone and maximize value to the state,” said Jessica Waldorf, chief of staff and director of policy implementation for the Department of Public Service.
Why it matters: Hochul has embraced nuclear as part of her “all-of-the-above” energy approach, despite the near-term nature of her reliability concerns. Nuclear is a rare area of alignment between the state and federal governments on energy, which is one reason New York policymakers have embraced it.
