New York takes next steps on nuclear power
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New York State officials are taking fresh steps toward Gov. Kathy Hochul's goal of developing at least 1 gigawatt of new nuclear power upstate, per announcements shared with Axios ahead of their release.
Why it matters: Nuclear power has growing and cross-aisle momentum, and New York's move follows this week's new U.S.-industry partnership aimed at building $80 billion worth of projects.
Driving the news: The New York Power Authority on Thursday will release a formal solicitation inviting input from upstate communities with interest in hosting a project.
- It will help officials weigh sites that have both community support and needed size, water access and "protection from external hazards."
State of play: A second NYPA "request for information" on Thursday will seek info from project developers and partners on tech recommendations, siting, costs, and much more.
The big picture: "[T]he success of this transformative advanced nuclear initiative hinges on our ability to collaborate with communities, governmental agencies at the state and federal level, and the private sector," NYPA president and CEO Justin Driscoll said in a statement.
Catch up fast: The Empire State's embrace of nuclear marks a major U-turn.
- The 2021 shutdown of the Indian Point nuclear plant a few dozen miles from New York City was among the country's highest-profile rejections of atomic energy.
- The state's plan comes as U.S. power demand is rising thanks to data centers, EVs, new manufacturing, cooling needs and more.
What we're watching: Power giant Constellation Energy, which already operates three large New York nuclear plants and has expressed interest in Hochul's initiative.
