New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act) requires that the statewide electricity system achieves “zero emissions” by 2040 and that all state agencies work to achieve carbon-neutrality by 2050. Even though the state is working to increase solar, wind, storage and efficiency, there remains a critical need for “controllable clean electricity technologies,” an energy source the NYISO refers to a “Dispatchable Emissions Free Resources” (DEFRs). Because the 2016 Zero Emission Credit (ZEC) program characterized nuclear power as “zero-emission” technology, and New York’s need for DEFRs will be steadily increasing, possibly exceeding 40 GW worth, New York recognizes that it will need to consider all options, even nuclear power to meet that need.
New York’s Planning for a Master Plan for Advanced Nuclear
[Adapted from the introduction and NYSERDA’s website:]
On January 14, 2025, Governor Hochul announced the start of a process to develop a Master Plan for Responsible Advanced Nuclear Development in New York. NYSERDA, working with the Department of Public Service and other State Agencies, leads on the development of the Master Plan. As a first step, NYSERDA published its Blueprint for Advanced Nuclear Energy Technologies that sets out the scope of issues to be considered throughout the Master Plan process.
Achieving New York State’s ambitious climate goals while ensuring economic growth and a reliable and affordable energy system requires consideration for a variety of zero-emission energy technologies. Several technologies are being considered to meet this need, including long-duration energy storage, hydrogen, alternative fuels, and advanced nuclear. A growing and innovative group of advanced nuclear energy technologies has recently emerged as a potential source of dispatchable carbon-free power.
The term “advanced” is used to refer to this suite of technologies simply to distinguish these new designs from the majority of existing nuclear plants in the U.S. built primarily decades ago. Advanced nuclear technologies offer attractive possibilities, with their scalability, economic development, low land use, advanced operational (including safety) features, and potential applications for process heat. These technologies may represent an opportunity for additional grid capacity to support an electrifying economy that can both complement New York’s buildout of renewables and serve as a baseload resource unto itself. The potential of advanced nuclear is highlighted in the U.S. Department of Energy’s “Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Advanced Nuclear report and federal support for new nuclear development,” with the passage of the ADVANCE Act in 2024, which reduces licensing fees and streamlines Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulatory processes with the goal of accelerating deployment timelines.
Yet advanced nuclear technologies raise a host of questions, regarding technological readiness, environmental and climate justice, waste, cost, and cost risks, among other factors. This Blueprint provides an initial inventory of the range of these issues as the starting point for an in-depth follow-up assessment process that will culminate in a Master Plan for Responsible Advanced Nuclear Development (Master Plan) by 2026.
SOURCES:
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority; Blueprint for Consideration of Advanced Nuclear Energy Technologies. Published January 2025.
New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act) website.
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) website.
State of New York Department of Public Service, Case 15-E-0302 – Proceeding on Motion of the Commission to Implement a Large-Scale Renewable Energy Program and a Clean Energy Standard, Published November 4, 2024