New York Public News Network | By Samuel King
Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to expand nuclear capacity in New York state. But with just days left in the legislative session, some lawmakers are hoping a moratorium on new nuclear projects will make it through both chambers.
The legislation from state Sen. Kevin Parker and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, both Brooklyn Democrats, would place a 30-month hold on new nuclear projects in the state to allow for a comprehensive assessment.
“We’re talking about affordability here, that’s been the big agenda, and we don’t know that nuclear will in fact reduce costs,” Simon said. “So, we need to look at it and have a robust assessment of that.”
Simon cited the example of the Vogtle project in Georgia, the most recent nuclear reactors built in the United States. The project ended up $17 billion over budget and led to increased costs for consumers, according to analysts.
“Governments, state governments, federal governments turn to ratepayers and taxpayers to subsidize this industry to make what is an incredibly risky endeavor possible, and that simply has to stop,” said former Nuclear Regulatory Commission chairman Greg Jaczko, who supports the New York legislation.
Earlier this year, two members of the group Georgians for Affordable Energy traveled to Albany to speak with lawmakers.
“Georgia is a cautionary tale for New York,” said group founder Patty Durand. “We’ve already been down the road that the people of New York are contemplating, and the road is full of boulders and speed bumps. And once you start, it’s really hard to stop.”
In her State of the State address this year, Hochul touted her plan to add five gigawatts of nuclear capacity. Currently, Constellation operates nuclear facilities in Oswego and Wayne counties and is on the list of potential operators for the added capacity. Several communities, including Rochester, have expressed interest in hosting the reactors, Gothamist has reported.
The New York Power Authority is moving forward with finding developers of the project who could deliver the technology by 2033.
The governor’s office generally does not comment on pending legislation but there are no signs that Hochul is backing off her plans. She said it is part of her “all of the above approach” to renewable energy.
“Nuclear takes years to build,” Hochul said at the Capitol in May.. “If we don’t start now … then we’re failing this to meet this moment, and I refuse to do that.”
The moratorium bill is currently in Assembly and Senate committees. Simon said she is hoping the bills can advance to floor debate before the scheduled end date on Thursday.
Image: The Robert Emmett Ginna Nuclear Power Plant is located on the southern shore of Lake Ontario, in the town of Ontario, Wayne County. (Screen capture/Constellation Energy Corp.)