New York plans first nuclear plant in 36 years

What happened

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) Monday said she had ordered the state's public energy utility to build New York's first new nuclear power plant since 1989. The plant, to be constructed somewhere in upstate New York for an unknown cost, will produce at least a gigawatt of energy, enough to power a million homes. New York's three active nuclear plants produce 3.3 gigawatts, or about 20% of the state's power.

Who said what

Nuclear energy has "enjoyed a resurgence of interest from states and companies in recent years" due to its emissions-free power and ability to "run at all hours, unlike wind and solar," The New York Times said. But utilities have been "deterred by the high price tag." The country's two newest reactors, completed in Georgia last year, cost nearly $35 billion, more than double the initial estimate, and were finished seven years behind schedule.

Nuclear plants also create radioactive waste and can cause catastrophic damage if they fail, as happened in Fukushima, Japan, in 2011. The new plant will be a "model of 21st century nuclear design with safety at the forefront," Hochul said. "This is not your grandparents' nuclear reactor."

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What next?

Hochul said there is high interest in hosting the new upstate plant and the jobs it will provide. "Everybody is raising their hand right now," she said. "It's going to be hard to decide." The project will also "offer a practical assessment" of President Donald Trump's executive orders aiming to "accelerate development of nuclear-power projects," The Wall Street Journal said.