New York Governor Gokul plans to add 5 GW of nuclear capacity
New York Governor Kathy Gokul in the United States plans to develop 5 GW of new nuclear generating capacity. At least 1 GW of this volume is to be implemented by the state-owned New York Power Authority, while another 4 GW is envisaged under a separate initiative. This is stated in an OilPrice article published under the byline of ZeroHedge.
The state's plans for new nuclear generation emerged five years after the shutdown of the last reactor at the Indian Point nuclear power plant. The article notes that the decommissioning of this plant increased the state's dependence on fossil-fuel generation.
The technologies have not yet been determined
State authorities have not yet announced which reactor technologies will be used in the new projects. Among the likely options, the article's author names Westinghouse's large AP1000 reactors and GE Vernova Hitachi's 300 MW BWRX-300 reactors.
According to OilPrice, eight communities in the northern part of the state have expressed interest in hosting nuclear projects. The counties mentioned as possible locations include Jefferson, Oswego, and Schuyler.
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Grid issues and Indian Point
NYISO's Power Trends 2026 report says there are risks to system reliability if more than 4 GW of nuclear generation operating almost continuously is replaced by less than 3 GW of renewable sources. At the same time, electricity transmission may be a problem, as the main demand is concentrated in the southern part of the state, while new capacity may be built in the north.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright supported restarting Indian Point, whose capacity is estimated at about 2 GW. Gokul opposes restarting the plant, instead promoting the construction of new facilities in the northern part of the state.
State Senator Kevin Parker proposed a bill providing for a 30-month pause in the use of taxpayer and electricity consumer funds for new or restored nuclear facilities. During this period, a special working group would study their cost and alternative options.
