Senator Borrello speaking as a member of the panel
From the Office of NYS Senator George Borrello,
From left to right: Judy McKinney Cherry, Executive Director of the Schuyler County Partnership for Economic Development; Senator Tom O’Mara; Assemblyman Scott Gray and Philip Church, Oswego County Administrator
Senator George Borrello joined state and local leaders, economic development officials and energy experts Thursday at the Upstate Nuclear Conference in Waterloo to discuss the growing interest in nuclear power and what new nuclear development could mean for communities in New York.
Senator Borrello participated in the conference’s Community Impact Panel, which focused on the jobs, investment and other economic benefits that nuclear facilities can bring to host communities, as well as the importance of involving local residents and leaders throughout the process. Other participants included: Senator Tom O’Mara, Assemblyman Scott Gray, Judy McKinney Cherry, Executive Director of the Schuyler County Partnership for Economic Development and Philip Church, Oswego County Administrator.
Senator Borrello has become involved in the discussion over New York’s nuclear future since the City of Dunkirk signaled its interest in potentially hosting a new nuclear facility. Dunkirk is one of eight upstate communities that responded to the state’s request for communities interested in exploring new nuclear development.
The opportunity comes as New York is making a major new commitment to nuclear energy. The state has set a goal of developing at least 5 gigawatts of new nuclear generation, including a New York Power Authority initiative to develop at least 1 gigawatt in upstate New York.
“Once Dunkirk raised its hand and said it was interested, I wanted to learn as much as possible about what this could mean for the community and our region,” Senator Borrello said. “Part of that means learning more about advanced nuclear technology and sharing that information with the public. There are still misconceptions about nuclear power, and it’s important that people understand how far the technology has advanced and have confidence in its safety and reliability. The state is moving forward with an ambitious nuclear agenda, and my priority is making sure communities like Dunkirk have the facts they need to understand the opportunities, the challenges and what it would take to be part of this investment.”
One of the presentations underscored why nuclear is attracting renewed attention as New York looks for ways to meet growing electricity demand. Nuclear plants can produce power nearly around the clock, generating about 92 percent of their maximum potential over the course of a year, compared with about 15 percent for solar sited in New York. Nuclear also requires far less land. A nuclear facility may occupy about one square mile, while producing the same amount of electricity with solar could require as much as 100 square miles.
“We need to be realistic about what it takes to keep the lights on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” Senator Borrello said. “Nuclear produces highly efficient, zero emission baseload power from a relatively small footprint. As demand for electricity grows, that is an advantage New York can’t afford to ignore.”
The renewed interest in nuclear isn’t limited to New York. Interest in nuclear energy is growing across the country, with dozens of new nuclear projects moving through the planning and development process and several advanced reactor projects already under construction.
“Our current and prior federal administrations have prioritized the development of nuclear, which has helped spur the nuclear resurgence happening across the country,” Senator Borrello said. “For communities like Dunkirk, decision making has to include consideration of the opportunities to bring back good jobs, grow our tax base and create economic opportunities that will be here for generations.”
Senator Borrello has also been working to make sure local leaders have the information they need as the state explores new nuclear development. In June, he hosted a “Nuclear 101” forum that brought together local government, education, economic development and business leaders to learn more about advanced nuclear technology and discuss what a potential project could mean for Dunkirk and Chautauqua County.
“No decisions have been made about Dunkirk, and there is a long way to go,” Senator Borrello said. “But this is an opportunity worth exploring. We need reliable power, Dunkirk wants to be an energy community again, and there is tremendous potential for new investment and jobs. We should be doing everything we can to make sure Western New York has a seat at the table as this next chapter of nuclear energy takes shape.”
