Gov. Kathy Hochul has made nuclear power one of the backbones of her energy policy as the state works toward the ambitious climate goals originally outlined in 2019’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
On Tuesday, there were multiple anti-nuclear rallies that had taken place around the state to protest the governor’s plans.
Also on Tuesday, state Sen. George Borrello held a “Nuclear 101” town hall for elected officials and local stakeholders in Chautauqua County on potential development of a nuclear plant in the Western New York city of Dunkirk, where a former NRG plant has been closed for 10 years.
“Dunkirk was the only community in western New York that responded to the state’s RFI that the New York Power Authority issued,” according to Borrello.
When asked about the downsides to nuclear power, which include costs and pollution, Borrello told Capital Tonight that the criticisms are overblown. He also said Genover, the Texas company that now owns the former NRG facility, seemed interested in the idea of nuclear power.
According to Borello, Genover representatives stayed for the entire event and attended a dinner hosted by the senator afterward.
“We had a great opportunity to talk,” Borello said of the Genover representatives. “They were very open-minded.”
While there are currently three operating nuclear power plants in New York state, there hasn’t been a new nuclear plant built here since 1989.