Gov. Hochul wants to build new nuclear plant, 4 years after Indian Point closure

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced plans Monday to build New York’s first nuclear power plant in a generation — a move that comes only four years after a nuclear plant on the Hudson River was closed due to environmental concerns.

Hochul ordered the state’s Power Authority to develop and build a new nuclear reactor upstate. She did not specify where the reactor, which should generate enough energy to power 1 million homes, would be located.

“If we don’t increase our capacity over the next decade we will see rolling blackouts,” Hochul said during a press conference at the hydroelectric Niagara Power Plant. “We must radically increase supply. This is the best technology to meet this demand.”

Hochul said the new plant would bring stability to energy bills.

“Ratepayers must know there is reliability,” Hochul said. “They must be able to see in the future and know what their bills will be.”

Hochul said the project is necessary to address the state’s escalating crises of energy affordability and reliability. In 2021, the Indian Point nuclear power plant in Westchester County was closed following decades of concerns about contamination of the Hudson River.

But the state has struggled to fill the energy generation void left by the decommissioning of the facility, which once provided a quarter of New York City’s power. The closure of Indian Point led the state’s electrical grid to grow more reliant on fossil fuel plants, which cause more pollution than nuclear power.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, nuclear power is almost twice as reliable as natural gas, wind and solar plants.

Despite its advantages, nuclear power has been slow to expand. The industry faces concerns about safety, disposal of nuclear waste and substantial up-front costs. Hochul’s proposed plant would generate 1 gigawatt of electricity. The federal government estimates a nuclear power plant producing that much power would cost around $5 billion.

While President Donald Trump’s administration has halted all new permits for offshore wind power, the federal government has promised to fast-track permits for nuclear power. In the past, Hochul said it took a decade of red tape to build a nuclear facility.

“To power New York’s future we need reliability, affordability and sustainability,” Hochul said. “Nuclear is today’s answer to that.”

Jon Campbell contributed reporting.

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated where Gov. Kathy Hochul held a press conference. It was at Niagara Power Plant.