New York State looks to advanced nuclear
As New York Governor Kathy Hochul announces a master plan for advanced nuclear development, the state's energy research and development authority has joined Constellation on a grant proposal to help it pursue an early site permit for advanced nuclear reactors at its Nine Mile Point Clean Energy Center.
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The creation of a Master Plan for Responsible Advanced Nuclear Development in New York is part of a USD1 billion proposal to achieve a "more sustainable and affordable future in New York State" was included in Hochuls' 14 January State of the State address. It will be guided by the newly published Blueprint for Consideration of Advanced Nuclear Energy Technologies from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The Blueprint - which was itself drawn up following public comments on a draft released at the Future Energy Economy Summit in September - envisages that the process to develop the Master Plan will take place over 2025 and 2026 and include opportunities for stakeholder involvement. A completed Master Plan is expected to be published by the end of 2026.
New York State will also co-lead a multi-state initiative facilitated by the National Association of State Energy Officials and the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) on advanced nuclear energy, anticipated to launch in February 2025, and support Constellation Energy Corporation in pursuing federal planning grant funding to support the exploration of the addition of one or more new advanced nuclear reactors at Nine Mile Point, NYSERDA said.
NYSERDA’s cost-share funding is a critical first step in helping to determine whether new nuclear can become a reality in New York, Constellation said. If granted, the DOE funding would be used to seek an early site permit for Nine Mile Point, which would approve the site for future development of a nuclear power plant. The permit is valid for up to 20 years, and the company can apply for a construction and operating licence at any time during the permit period. Decisions from DOE on the awardees are expected in early summer.
Constellation’s president and CEO Joe Dominguez said the company appreciated Hochul's leadership and New York’s ongoing support for nuclear energy, which produces more than 20% of the state’s energy. "Constellation has previously worked with NYSERDA to develop leading clean hydrogen production and fuel cell technologies using nuclear power. Now, NYSERDA and Constellation are once again joining together with a commitment to explore advanced nuclear energy technologies and continue the meaningful progress toward New York’s clean energy and economic development goals," he said.
New York has already supported the continued operation of Constellation’s three so-called upstate nuclear facilities - Nine Mile Point, RE Ginna and James A Fitzpatrick - explicitly recognising the zero-carbon contribution of the plants in its 2016 Clean Energy Standard as critical in enabling it to meet its climate change targets. Nine Mile Point, in Oswego, is home to two operating boiling water reactors, where the company began operating a first-of-its-kind 1 MW demonstration scale, nuclear-powered clean hydrogen production facility in 2023.
Last year, NYSERDA released a Request for Information to gauge community interest in activities to develop advanced nuclear energy technologies in the state.
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