Upstate NY towns raise their hands to host new reactor as part of Hochul’s nuclear plan

New York state is moving forward on plans to build its first nuclear reactor in a half-century.

Several upstate communities have raised their hands to host a nuclear reactor in response to the state’s request last fall, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office. Currently New York has about 3.4 gigawatts spread over three reactors near Lake Ontario in Oswego County. Hochul wants to more than double that amount.

“Creating a Nuclear Reliability Backbone of 8.4 gigawatts of safe, reliable and emission-free round-the-clock nuclear power is critical to advancing her all-of-the-above approach to energy designed to keep the lights on for New Yorkers and costs down,” Hochul spokesperson Ken Lovett said in an emailed statement.

A total of eight communities expressed interest, including the Finger Lakes, the Binghamton area, St. Lawrence County across the border from Ottawa, Dunkirk on Lake Erie and Rochester. Three sites on Lake Ontario also expressed interest, including Oswego County, which hosts the state’s current reactors and provides about 20% of New York’s power.

“Oswego County has a long history of hosting nuclear power stations and is uniquely positioned as the best region for the state to develop new nuclear projects,” County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup wrote in a statement.

More than 20 companies have submitted concepts, plans and timelines to the New York Power Authority, the state-owned utility. Those include New York City company Nano Nuclear, Constellation, which operates the state’s current nuclear facilities, and Holtec, which is decommissioning Indian Point.

Constellation and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority filed a grant proposal with the U.S. Department of Energy for an early site permit to advance nuclear at the current location in Oswego.

“As electricity demand rises sharply across the country — driven by data centers, [artificial intelligence] and other high-performance computing, broad electrification, domestic manufacturing growth, and the need for reliable zero-emission power — states like New York will need firm, scalable energy sources that can complement renewables and strengthen grid resilience,” said James Walker, CEO at Nano Nuclear.

NYPA said the response to its first round of solicitations “reflects a strong desire from communities,” but many other areas have been adamantly opposed to having a nuclear facility in their backyards.

Downstate, there are no sites under consideration. Communities surrounding Indian Point, just outside of New York City, have protested the reuse of its decommissioned reactors for a new facility. There is also local opposition to the potential site in the Finger Lakes, which is located in Schuyler County near Seneca Lake.

“Governor Hochul’s plans for energy are absolutely ludicrous,” said Yvonne Taylor, cofounder of the local advocacy group Seneca Lake Guardian. “Nuclear energy has never been able to become affordable. It costs too much, it takes too long to construct.”

Hochul is facing mounting criticism over her failure to meet the legally mandated benchmarks in the state’s climate law. She published an op-ed Friday urging lawmakers to water down the law designed to cut emissions dramatically in the coming decades.

While nuclear is carbon-free, it is far more damaging to the environment than solar or wind due to the waste it produces.

NYPA has committed $40 million in annual funding over the next four years to develop a skilled nuclear workforce. The state’s power authority is also partnering with Ontario Power Generation to share expertise on nuclear innovation and development.

The efforts are overseen by Todd Josifovski, the previous project director for Ontario Power Generation, and Christopher Hanson, former Chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The push for nuclear energy aims to meet the increasing power demands for data center expansion. The power source is also a means to achieve zero-emission energy in accordance with the state climate law.

Grid operators forecast an increased power demand of 50-90% over the next 10 years, mostly driven by data centers.

The state’s Deptartment of Public Service is tasked with creating a new process to review and facilitate a cost-effective path to add another four gigawatts of nuclear power.

NYPA is currently reviewing proposals from developers and communities.