This week, Gov. Kathy Hochul put the wheels in motion for the construction of a zero-emission nuclear power plant upstate, directing the New York Power Authority to get to work.

Hochul has argued it’s a necessary step to support the state’s clean energy transition, insisting that the grid will need the extra support into the future if New York is really going to transition off of fossil fuels. 

“Harnessing the power of the atom is the best way to generate steady, zero-emission electricity,” she said at the announcement Monday.

The move, which follows months of Hochul teasing the state’s flirtation with nuclear, has left environmental advocates scratching their heads and earned Hochul praise from an unlikely source: state Senate Republicans. 

Very much not aboard the nuclear power train at this stage of the game is state Sen. Liz Krueger, the powerful 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.

“As far as I’m concerned, the priority for New York state has to be more rapid implementation of the models of sustainable green energy that we know work and are safe and are not experimental,” she said. 

In response, a representative from Gov. Hochul’s office stressed in a statement the need for nuclear to support the realities of existing models of clean energy the state is pursuing.  

"The current heatwave has stretched our energy grid nearly to its breaking point. It should be obvious that we need an all of the above approach to energy production to get the affordability, reliability and sustainability we need,” the statement read. “We’re always happy to provide information to our colleagues in the legislature, but in this case many of the senator's questions are already answered every day by the three nuclear power plants that have been operating safely and reliably in New York state for generations."

Krueger added when asked if she could ever get behind the proposal that it’s important to note the current project is a different ballgame than those existing facilities. 

“It’s possible, I never say never,” she said. “I need to know the facts now and the facts are that plans for new nuclear plants in the United States are in the very beginning stages, it is considered experimental new technology because they aren’t talking about the technologies that were used 40 or 50 years ago.”

Many environmental advocates also argue that the proposal is an unneeded detour from going full steam ahead on models the state is already focusing on like wind and solar and point to problems with acquiring materials and disposing of waste. 

“We think the governor is basically wasting ratepayers and tax payers time and money — she should be focusing on renewable energy which we know works,” said Anne Rabe of Don’t Waste NY, who is part of a coalition vehemently opposed to the plan.

But Hochul insisted those more familiar models have clear flaws, as others point out that their development is lagging behind the state’s hopes. 

“Solar works when the sun is shining, wind turbines work when the sun is shining, we need electricity that works all day long regardless of the weather outdoors,” she said Monday.

While environmental advocates may not be in love with the plan, Hochul has found support among several Republicans in the state legislature, even if there is a dose of "I told you so."

Several, including state Sen. Jake Ashby have praised her, arguing that the announcement is a sign that she’s listening to their calls to address concerns over the state’s grid capacity.

“Nuclear power in the modular sense is something that our nation and our state is going to have to embrace if we are going to build our grid out to four times its capacity,” he said. 

Ashby in the Capital Region and others, including state Sen. George Borrello in Western New York, have taken the additional step of pitching the governor to build the facility in their districts as they push the state to further embrace nuclear.

“I’m reaching out to industry experts and educational experts throughout the district and throughout New York state right now and I know those people are vying for the governor’s attention and have her ear presently,” Ashby said. 

Borrello made his own pitch to the governor.

"I support this commonsense step toward expanding reliable and affordable clean energy through advanced nuclear power," added Borrello. "However, while this statewide initiative is promising, we must not overlook the city of Dunkirk, which has already suffered significant losses from the closure of the NRG plant, costing the community jobs and critically needed revenue. Instead of offering short-term, costly bailouts like the $13.7 million loan at a 7.5% interest rate, the governor should make a lasting investment by designating the NRG Plant in Dunkirk as a site for one of the state’s new nuclear plants."