Opponents of nuclear energy in New York are hoping to take on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plan to more than double the amount of nuclear energy produced in the state.
Across the state this week, there will be rallies, demonstrations and teach-ins meant to get the word out about the cost and dangers of an expansion of nuclear energy. Earlier this month, Gov. Hochul began the formal process of approving incentives for a massive new nuclear reactor buildout in New York. Hochul has set a goal of adding 5 gigawatts of nuclear power to the state’s electric grid in coming years.
Tim Judson, executive director of the Nuclear Information and Resource Service calls the plan irrational and not in line with promises to cut energy costs.
"The governor has started a process by which the Public Service Commission, which regulates our utility rates, is going to decide how this is all going to get paid for," Judson said. "And I think what's happened historically in New York state and in other states around the country is that when they build nuclear power plants that it ends up costing us a lot more on our electricity bills."
Judson said building new nuclear plants would take away funding from other renewable energy projects.
"We have less nuclear energy in the U.S. today than we've had in 30 years, and it's a smaller percentage of our electricity than it has been in 40 years," he said. "So we're making progress in terms of building out renewable energy and making the transition to a really clean energy future. And so that is progress. But I think the proposals, like the one the governor is pushing, are holding us back."
Public subsidies could reach almost $24 billion on top of $40 billion residents pay to keep existing reactors open. Judson hopes things like a teach-in planned in Syracuse Tuesday can educate the public about nuclear power.
"A lot of people don't know much about the way the nuclear power plants work and the impacts that they have on the environment and on local residents," he said. "So they'll have a much better sense of that. They'll have a better sense of what the economic opportunity costs are gonna be. Basically, how much this is gonna cost us and what we could be doing. The other things that we could be doing with our rate payer dollars and our tax dollars and then what they can do to take action on this."
Tuesday's teach-in will be held at All Saints Church on Lancaster Ave. in Syracuse starting at 5:30 p.m.
