How NYS support is growing for nuclear plants

ALBANY — New nuclear plants are picking up support as New York State looks for ways to meet its future power needs.

Both major candidates for governor say they like the idea, and polls show the public is increasingly open to new nuclear, especially among those too young to remember the fight to close Long Island’s Shoreham nuclear plant or the Three Mile Island disaster.

Political analysts and pollsters say there are a number of reasons, including efforts to move away from fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut energy costs as the need for electricity to power chip manufacturers and artificial intelligence industries grows.

"I think New Yorkers and Americans at large realize that we consume a lot of energy and we need to figure out ways to satiate those demands," said Luke Perry, a distinguished professor of political science at Utica University.

Nearly half of Americans, about 46%, support the growth of nuclear power, up from 39% in 2021, according to Gallup’s annual environmental poll released in April.

In New York, opposition to building new nuclear power plants decreased from 47% in April of last year to 41% in March, according to a Siena Research Institute poll. During that time, support for new plants remained at 35%.

Current political debates around energy costs have also put nuclear back into the conversation.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who is running for reelection in November, has been working to grow new nuclear power as part of an "all-of-the-above" approach to clean energy.

Her opponent, Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, said he supports the use of nuclear energy along with natural gas.

The political divide on nuclear power is smaller than on other energy issues, with 54% of Republicans and 38% of Democrats saying the federal government should encourage the production of nuclear power, according to a national Pew Research Center poll released in April. The majority of Democrats continue to prioritize wind and solar power, while support has increased among Republicans and right-leaning independents for the use of fossil fuels, according to the poll.

Environmentalists warn that nuclear poses health risks, creates waste and will take decades and billions of dollars to build.

"The nuclear propaganda machine is strong, but the facts tell us all we need to know," said Laura Shindell, New York State director of the environmental advocacy group Food and Water Watch. "It’s by far the most expensive form of energy, takes decades to build, and is dirty and dangerous."

Growing support

One of the most common reasons people said they support nuclear is they see it as a clean or low-carbon source of energy, Brian Kennedy, a senior researcher at the Pew Research Center, told Newsday.

Other reasons for the rise include concerns over the need for affordable and reliable energy, political, public policy and energy experts told Newsday. The cost of oil, which is highly volatile and heavily influenced by global events such as the U.S. war with Iran and Russia’s war with Ukraine, also factors into the discussion, political analysts said. 

There’s also a generational divide, with polls showing nuclear power is more popular among younger adults, who may not remember the infamous failure and semi-meltdown at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania in 1979 or the nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl power station in Ukraine in 1986, political analysts said. The Gallup Poll found that half of those aged 18 to 34 support new nuclear in their area, compared to only 39% support from those aged 55 and older. 

There’s also a growing belief that the technology has gotten safer, Perry said. Historically, favorability for nuclear power tends to decline when nuclear disasters occur, pollsters told Newsday.

Pollsters noted that while support for nuclear energy in general may be on the rise, there's a different response when people are asked about new nuclear power in their own communities.

The Gallup Poll found about 53% of respondents would somewhat or strongly oppose construction of a nuclear plant in their area, while 45% said they would somewhat or strongly favor it.

Public approval is one of the biggest challenges for new nuclear, experts said, particularly on places like Long Island. Public opposition helped shutter the Shoreham nuclear plant in the early '90s before it even became operational.

Nuclear in New York

New York’s polling on nuclear is somewhat lower than nationally, likely because there hasn’t been a lengthy or detailed public discussion on nuclear power in the state in a long time, Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said.

That could change, as Hochul looks to increase the amount of new nuclear power in the state by at least 5 gigawatts on top of the existing 3.4 gigawatts of nuclear power.

"Advanced nuclear is one of the best available options to provide both relief to consumers and strengthen the resilience of New York’s grid with round-the-clock emission-free energy," Hochul said in June. 

Nuclear power currently makes up about 21% of New York’s electricity generation, according to the New York Independent System Operator, which manages the state power grid.

There are three nuclear plants in the state, all in western New York. The state is in the process of looking for a site, developers and delivery partners for a new facility, and eight communities upstate have expressed interest, according to New York Power Authority.

The move comes as the state looks to meet its climate goals of transitioning to emission-free sources and reducing economywide emissions. 

Energy costs have become a major issue in the governor's race.

Blakeman has also said he prefers an all-of-the-above approach to energy.

"I will cut your utility bills in half by embracing every reliable power source — including today’s nuclear energy, which is now safe, small, and even powerful enough to run naval ships — and open the doors to extracting Natural Gas from our own supply rather than buying it from Pennsylvania," Blakeman said in an emailed statement to Newsday.

Pros and cons

Proponents say nuclear power plays a vital role in keeping New Yorkers' lights on and reducing emissions.

"It’s a great way to stick to your decarbonization goals. It’s a great way to employ a lot of people. It’s a great way to have zero-emission electricity," said Gavin Donohue, president and CEO of the Independent Power Producers of New York, a statewide trade association. 

The environmental community is split on the issue, with some groups opposed and others who support nuclear to help address climate change, said Blair Horner, senior policy adviser with the New York Public Interest Research Group. "There’s a massive public relations effort to bring the industry back from the dead because of what’s happening with climate and the failure of renewables to fill the gap."

Nuclear is one of the most expensive forms of energy, which doesn’t square with the affordability mantra, Horner said, adding the state should be building out wind and solar renewable energy sources.

Nuclear facilities can cost billions to build and have a history of substantial cost overruns, according to environmentalists and energy experts. There also are limitations to where plants can be located because of the need for emergency evacuation routes.

The Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group, recognizes that nuclear power is a zero-carbon energy source and supports its use in the right circumstances, said Matthew McKinzie, the council’s senior director for data and policy analysis.

While New York should lean heavily into clean energy solutions including wind, solar, storage, efficiency and transmission, McKinzie said new nuclear could be part of the mix if it’s well regulated, takes advantage of advances in safety and has community acceptance. "The details matter," he said.