Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay is applauding Gov. Kathy Hochul’s new directive to build an advanced nuclear power plant, calling it a “long-overdue” move to strengthen New York’s fragile energy grid.
In a column released Friday, Barclay warned that state energy policy has been “on the wrong track for too long,” citing recent brownout threats and grid reliability issues as proof that nuclear power must play a larger role in New York’s future.
“New York’s climate agenda has been on the wrong track for too long,” Barclay wrote. “At some point, Albany’s ‘green scheme’ had to give way to reality.”
Barclay pointed to the closure of Indian Point’s two reactors—which once provided a quarter of New York City’s daily electricity—and said unrealistic targets under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) have left the state exposed to energy shortfalls. Recent heat waves forced the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) to issue an Energy Warning, with the governor asking New Yorkers to reduce air conditioning and appliance use.
Barclay said Oswego, home to three existing reactors, should be a top candidate for the proposed facility. “I look forward to working with our partners… to develop a plan that works for all New Yorkers,” he added.
With increasing electricity demand and fewer traditional plants online, Barclay said nuclear energy is the only clean, reliable, and scalable solution to modernize New York’s grid and protect residents from future energy emergencies.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].