Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced she wants the New York Power Authority and state Department of Public Service to develop at least one new nuclear energy facility upstate to support the state's electric grid and help New York transition away from fossil fuels.

Clean energy has been a hot topic over the years across the country, and New York state is no different.

What You Need To Know

  • Gov. Hochul announced the state power authority and Department of Public Service want to develop at least one new nuclear energy facility to support the state's electric grid and help New York transition away from fossil fuels

  • Some experts say nuclear energy is more reliable than other forms of clean energy

  • According to Hochul, the project would generate 1,600 jobs during construction and 1,200 permanent jobs

“Nuclear energy is energy produced by splitting heavy atoms. And in that process, energy is released," says Antoinette Maniatty, department head, Mechanical Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. 

Maniatty thinks nuclear is the future of clean energy.

“And it's something that's not new. All of our Navy relies heavily on nuclear power already," Maniatty said.

She said it's more reliable than other forms of clean energy. 

“Solar and wind are also very important, but they are not continuous," Maniatty said. "There are times when the sun is not shining, there are times when the wind is not blowing, and so they tend to oscillate. There’s a fluctuations in the level of energy produced. Whereas with nuclear energy, it's very continuous. And you can bring it in and pull it out as you need it."

But the move has left environmental advocates flummoxed, and has also been met with tough questions from state Sen. Liz Krueger, the chair of the Senate Finance Committee who also spearheads some of the legislature’s most ambitious climate initiatives.

“I have a lot of questions here folks — and I don’t think anyone is prepared to answer them,” she said. 

She told Spectrum News 1 that she wants answers from the governor on multiple points of concern, including if the proposal is the most cost-effective compared to focusing on other renewables, pointing to its reputation for being an expensive endeavor. She also asked if there is a plan to ensure waste is disposed of safely, if the facilities can be built with consent from surrounding communities, and if such facilities can be planned and developed quickly enough to keep pace with the state’s emissions reduction needs.

Maniatty, however, thinks more states will jump on the nuclear energy bandwagon.

“There’s a high need for energy," Maniatty said. "Looks like the needs are growing considerably. And so, it's going to be an important part of the, the whole mix that's necessary for our clean energy future."