New York’s big new bet on nuclear energy

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to build 5 gigawatts of new nuclear power in the state, which would make New York the third-biggest state for nuclear generating capacity in the country. That's a big goal: the entire U.S. has only added about 3 gigawatts of new nuclear power over the past 20 years. The push comes after Hochul scaled back the state's climate targets this spring, following struggles to build large-scale wind and solar power upstate and get that electricity to downstate homes.

The state has been laying groundwork since last year, issuing a nuclear plan in January 2025 and directing the New York Power Authority, the state's public utility, to help bring down costs for the first gigawatt of new reactors. New York has also partnered with Ontario and other New England states to settle on shared reactor designs, which could lower costs by building the same technology repeatedly. Eight upstate communities have expressed interest in hosting a plant, and the state has started the formal process to pick sites.

None of this will happen fast. Building a nuclear plant takes years, and New York hasn't completed one since 1988. Some state lawmakers have proposed a temporary ban on new nuclear construction, and advocacy groups argue the state hasn't done enough to build out wind and solar first. For homeowners, there's no immediate change to your electricity bill or rebate options, but this signals how New York plans to keep the lights on and power the grid over the coming decades.