NY Plans First Major Nuclear Plant in Decades

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has instructed the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to develop and build a new advanced, zero-emission nuclear power plant in upstate New York, the state's first new nuclear project in decades and the first major U.S. plant in over 15 years. The facility will provide at least 1 gigawatt of electricity, enough to power around one million homes, and aims to support grid reliability, clean energy targets, and economic growth by attracting large manufacturers and data centers. Multiple upstate communities are showing interest in hosting the plant due to the potential for thousands of construction and permanent jobs. Site and reactor design selection remain pending, with safety and rigorous environmental standards as top priorities. Hochul also underscored the need for regulatory reform to streamline the permitting process, a historic barrier for new nuclear projects. The initiative is expected to leverage public-private partnerships and aligns with New York's ongoing support for companies like Constellation Energy, which is expanding nuclear capacity nationally.