By Laila Kearney and Pooja Menon
NEW YORK (Reuters) -New York plans to build an advanced nuclear plant with the ability to produce at least 1 gigawatt of power, which would be one of the first new U.S. reactors in a generation, Governor Kathy Hochul said on Monday.
U.S. nuclear power is experiencing a renaissance after decades of stagnation, spurred on by record electricity demand from the proliferation of energy-guzzling data centers and the electrification of industries like transportation and manufacturing.
“We need electricity that is reliable all day long,” Hochul said at a press conference. “Harnessing the power of the atom is the best way to generate steady zero-emissions electricity.”
New York plans to partially finance the nuclear plant and buy electricity from it. The projected cost of building the project has not been disclosed.
The state is looking for partners in the project, which will be built in upstate New York, north of New York City, although the exact location and timeline for construction are still unclear.
Hochul said she has directed the state’s power authority to move forward with plans to site and eventually construct the nuclear build.
The governor launched a Master Plan for Responsible Advanced Nuclear Development in January to gauge market interest in developing advanced nuclear energy technologies amid rising electricity demand.
In late May, U.S. President Donald Trump signed executive orders directing the country’s independent nuclear regulatory commission to cut down on regulations and fast-track new licenses for reactors and power plants.
(Reporting by Laila Kearney and Pooja Menon; Editing by Mark Porter and Nia Williams)
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