{"id":156098,"date":"2026-03-07T10:28:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T10:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/156098\/"},"modified":"2026-03-07T10:28:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T10:28:09","slug":"upstate-new-york-communities-eye-nuclear-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/156098\/","title":{"rendered":"Upstate New York Communities Eye Nuclear Power"},"content":{"rendered":"

Schuyler County in New York is home to a bucolic state park, an automobile race track and one day\u2014if Judy McKinney Cherry has her way\u2014a nuclear power plant.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In summer 2025, Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered<\/a> the construction of an \u201cadvanced nuclear power plant,\u201d and eight upstate communities, including Schuyler County, have expressed interest<\/a> in hosting it. The New York Power Authority, a state-owned utility, would lead the project in partnership with developers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

McKinney Cherry, who heads the county\u2019s economic development corporation, hopes nuclear technology could provide enough power to bring manufacturing back to the region.<\/p>\n

But as the state pushes ahead with plans to build its first nuclear power plant in decades, communities, nuclear power developers and local scientists are questioning Hochul\u2019s plans\u2014which could impact the state\u2019s economy, environment and utility bills for years to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Renewed interest in nuclear energy is linked to a recent spike in electricity demand from data centers, which have been quickly reshaping<\/a> the landscapes of rural American communities\u2014and boosting<\/a> electricity prices.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nuclear power plants can be costly to build\u2014and that cost gets reflected in residents\u2019 utility bills. And although industry leaders insist the power plants are completely safe, some academics believe that a closer examination of cancer rates in communities with facilities is necessary.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Robert Howarth, a member of the state\u2019s Climate Action Council, which helped implement New York\u2019s Climate Act, spoke recently at a rally opposing nuclear construction in the county.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Three years ago, the Climate Action Council decided<\/a> that advanced nuclear technology could be an \u201cemerging resource,\u201d but cautioned that concerns about waste management and storage would need to be addressed before it could be widely adopted across the state.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cNuclear power is really expensive\u2014far more expensive than solar, wind or hydro or appropriate energy storage\u2014and it\u2019s extremely slow to deploy,\u201d said Howarth, a professor of ecology and environmental biology at nearby Cornell University. \u201cIf you want to meet New York\u2019s climate goals, nuclear power is just not going to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

But nuclear developers tout that these plants are zero-emission and can run continuously, usually only needing to go offline for a few weeks every few years for refueling. Zabrina Johal, the senior vice president for nuclear strategy and commercial at AtkinsR\u00e9alis, a Canadian company interested in developing a nuclear reactor in New York, said that to meet electricity demand without increasing emissions, nuclear power is the \u201conly option.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

She thinks renewable energy, such as wind and solar, needs to be complemented by nuclear power because it is reliable and has high electricity output.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The New York Power Authority has not yet announced where it will build a new power plant, with whom it will partner or what technology it will use. But environmentalists, unions, legislators and developers will be watching.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Who Wants Nuclear?<\/p>\n

Of the eight communities vying for the project, two have already gone nuclear. Oswego County, just southeast of Lake Ontario near the U.S.-Canada border, has three nuclear reactors\u2014the two that make up the Nine Mile Point Clean Energy Center and one at the James A. FitzPatrick Clean Energy Center.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These power plants are boiling water reactors. In this system, water is fed into a nuclear core where fission happens\u2014the process by which an atom is split. The process heats water, turning it into steam, which is then pushed into a turbine to generate electricity. All three plants were built in the 1970s and 1980s.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Constellation Energy Generation operates these power plants, as well as one near Rochester, also on the shore of Lake Ontario. Together, these reactors provided around 20 percent<\/a> of the state\u2019s electricity in 2024.<\/p>\n

A flag sporting the Oswego County seal leans against the corner in county administrator Phil Church\u2019s office. Smack-dab in the seal\u2019s center is the symbol for nuclear energy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s part of the fabric of our whole community,\u201d Church said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

Constellation pays around $48 million a year in local taxes, which help support law enforcement, roads, healthcare and social services in the county, he said.<\/p>\n

The company employs 2,100 people across all three of its power plants in the state, said Richard Barlette, Constellation\u2019s director for state government affairs. Another 12,000 work on the power plants as contractors, he said.<\/p>\n

Oswego is near the site of a massive semiconductor manufacturing facility that the tech company Micron is building<\/a>. A new power plant in the county could help power that complex, Church said. Barlette confirmed that Constellation is interested in using land it owns near the Nine Mile Point power station to add to the state\u2019s nuclear fleet.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In total, 23 companies have responded to Hochul\u2019s call for \u201cdevelopment partners\u201d on the new advanced nuclear project. Many, including Constellation, are developing small modular reactors\u2014smaller nuclear power plants.<\/p>\n

These plants are much smaller than traditional power plants, and many hope they could eventually be mass-produced. They have never operated commercially in the United States, but a growing number of companies are developing them.<\/p>\n

Schuyler County\u2019s McKinney Cherry wants to see this new nuclear technology power manufacturing in her region, which includes the state\u2019s Finger Lakes. The county\u2019s economy relies on seasonal tourism\u201410 percent of all jobs there are supported by the tourism industry, according to a 2024 report<\/a> commissioned by the state economic development agency.<\/p>\n

Many Schuyler residents are working in nearby counties because they can\u2019t find enough employment opportunities in the area, McKinney Cherry said.<\/p>\n

In January, concerned New Yorkers rallied outside the Schuyler County Legislature to oppose the possibility of nuclear power in the region. Environmental groups across the state say it\u2019s too costly and too slow to build.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe see nuclear as an affordability crisis in and of itself,\u201d said Ryan Madden, the Indigenous solidarity director at NY Renews, a coalition that advocated for the state\u2019s Climate Act. \u201cIt feels antithetical to an affordability agenda.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nuclear\u2019s Costs<\/p>\n

Nuclear power is enjoying a \u201crenaissance\u201d amid the data center boom, which has placed increasing demand<\/a> on the electricity grid.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Trump administration has backed this resurgence with executive orders that encourage nuclear<\/a> power development and pilot projects<\/a> that speed new test reactors through the regulatory process.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At a Friday press conference, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright, as well as U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), called for Indian Point\u2014a nuclear power plant just north of New York City that is currently being decommissioned\u2014to be \u201crebuilt and reopened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re calling for it to be reopened today, and the governor should take this seriously,\u201d Lawler said. \u201cShe can\u2019t decry the nuclear power plant here when she is talking about building nuclear power upstate. It doesn\u2019t make sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Department\"DepartmentDepartment of Energy Secretary Chris Wright and U.S. Rep Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) give a press conference on Friday. Credit: Nicholas Kusnetz\/Inside Climate News<\/p>\n

\"The\"TheThe currently-shuttered Indian Point nuclear power plant is seen on March 18, 2011, in Buchanan, N.Y. Credit: Mario Tama\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Nuclear power has been controversial<\/a> in New York, with activists raising concerns about health, the environment and costs. Nuclear power production produces \u201cspent\u201d fuel\u2014that\u2019s what happens when uranium fuel, which is used in a reactor, can no longer be used to produce electricity. The substance is extremely radioactive<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

An analysis<\/a> of research on small modular reactor designs, which could be proposed for the state\u2019s new project, found that these smaller power plants could be more costly than traditional ones and produce more waste per unit of energy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some epidemiologists, like Joseph Mangano, are also concerned that living near these plants can increase a person\u2019s risk of developing cancer. He has studied cancer death rates near nuclear plants for decades at the Radiation and Public Health Project, a nonprofit educational and scientific organization.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nuclear power plants release<\/a> very small amounts of radioactive gases and liquids. Their release into the air and water bodies is reported to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission\u2014the independent agency that regulates these power plants and approves them for commercial use\u2014to ensure that the radioactive materials are diluted and pose no risk to the public.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A recent Harvard study<\/a> found that U.S. counties located close to operational nuclear power plants experienced higher cancer death rates, especially for older adults\u2014though the study does not prove that the plants cause cancer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Previous studies<\/a>, including by the federal government, have found no correlation, but they often offer a much narrower picture than Harvard\u2019s national study. In 2015, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission canceled plans<\/a> to update a national study from 1990<\/a> that it has relied on.<\/p>\n

For Mangano, the Harvard study\u2019s results were no surprise. According to his research, a community\u2019s cancer death rate can jump much higher in the decades after the construction of a nearby nuclear power plant. Over time, he said, the gap between that community\u2019s cancer death rate and that of the state widens.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Obstacles Ahead<\/p>\n

In the past, nuclear power projects have struggled to become operational, especially in New York. In 1983, major construction on the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant on Long Island ended. The plant never opened.\u00a0<\/p>\n

By 1988, it was sold by the local utility to the state-owned Long Island Power Authority for $1 so that it could be decommissioned\u2014the result of long-term local and political opposition.<\/p>\n

When the Long Island Power Authority initially acquired the nuclear plant, along with other investments the local utility made, it assumed responsibility for around $6.8 billion in debt, a Department of Public Service spokeswoman said. After nearly 40 years, the debt has largely been paid, but remnants remain. It amounts to \u201chundredths of a percent\u201d of a customer\u2019s bill today, the spokeswoman said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe nuclear industry promises this nuclear renaissance\u2014there\u2019s new technology, there\u2019s this new fervor that it\u2019s going to deliver on all these energy needs,\u201d NY Renews\u2019 Madden said. \u201cWe see time and time again that it doesn\u2019t really add up.\u201d<\/p>\n

The state\u2019s operating nuclear plants, all owned by Constellation, are also costing New Yorkers. In January, the state body that regulates utility rates\u2014the Public Service Commission\u2014approved<\/a> a 20-year extension of the zero-emissions credit program, which compensates nuclear plant operators for producing zero-emission electricity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Public Service Commission estimates that the average residential ratepayer will see their utility bill increase by around $3.95 in 2029<\/a> during the first nine months of the extended program. The maximum cost to ratepayers would be $33.4 billion, though the commission expects a significantly lower amount.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Barlette, Constellation\u2019s director for state government affairs, said the nuclear facilities receive these funds because wholesale electricity markets do not attach financial value to the zero-emission aspect of their energy production. The state\u2019s nuclear fleet, he said, has operated for several decades and will require significant investment to continue operations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

James Walker, the CEO of NANO Nuclear Energy\u2014a company working to develop a modular reactor\u2014is also interested in building a nuclear power plant in New York, though that isn\u2019t without complications. The United States has not invested enough in nuclear infrastructure over the past few decades, making it difficult to obtain essential fuel such as enriched uranium, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNew York wants to attract industry\u2014it doesn\u2019t want to lose industry to other states that are pursuing nuclear more aggressively,\u201d Walker said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got very big ambitions here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nicholas Kusnetz contributed reporting to this story.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tAbout This Story<\/p>\n

Perhaps you noticed: This story, like all the news we publish, is free to read. That\u2019s because Inside Climate News is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. We do not charge a subscription fee, lock our news behind a paywall, or clutter our website with ads. We make our news on climate and the environment freely available to you and anyone who wants it.<\/p>\n

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Thank you,<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tLauren Dalban\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tReporter, New York City<\/p>\n

Lauren Dalban is a New York City-based reporter with a background in local journalism. A former ICN fellow, she now covers environmental issues in all five boroughs. Originally from London, she earned a B.A. in History and English from the University of Virginia, and an M.S. from Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Schuyler County in New York is home to a bucolic state park, an automobile race track and one…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":156099,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[64551,426,9,4865,11,10,25621,49,51,50,1926,285,286,46122],"class_list":["post-156098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york","tag-advanced-nuclear-reactor","tag-kathy-hochul","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-governor","tag-new-york-headlines","tag-new-york-news","tag-new-york-power-authority","tag-new-york-state","tag-new-york-state-headlines","tag-new-york-state-news","tag-nuclear","tag-nuclear-energy","tag-nuclear-power","tag-nuclear-power-plants"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=156098"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156098\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/156099"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=156098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=156098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=156098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}