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When the Indian Point nuclear plant was senselessly shut down in 2021, New York City lost 25% of the power it relied on.
"That's something that was unforeseen," Gov. Hochul stated last week.
That admission makes clear the decision by then-Gov. Cuomo and then-Lt. Gov. Hochul was not based on math, science or the facts. It was based on political self-interest. Now, we're up against the wall with a depleting energy grid and costs through the roof. This is what happens when you don't confront a problem until it confronts you.
This week, energy groups confronted Gov. Hochul with a warning. Without Indian Point or another reliable source of electricity, New York's energy grid will struggle to meet our exponentially growing demand. That's just one more consequence on top of the fallout we now have data to prove: since Indian Point closed, New York has had to lean more heavily on fossil fuels, increasing emissions in the process. The state's own analysis acknowledges that fossil-fuel generation increased following the loss of Indian Point.
The irony is hard to miss. In the name of reaching zero emissions and electrifying everything, New York is reducing reliable energy generation, increasing its reliance on fossil fuels and, in the process, driving up emissions anyway. This must be why Gov. Hochul agrees closing the plant was a mistake.
Demand for electricity is not going to slow down, especially not under our state's push to wipe fossil fuels off the face of the earth and turn everything into an electric button. More electrification, more demand for electricity, more strain on the grid and more money out of your paycheck—that's the current agenda.
We need reliable, affordable, clean energy. Reopening Indian Point would get us closer to that. That's what New Yorkers want, and that seems to be Hochul's goal too. On paper, we're all on the same page. So what are we waiting for?
If you have any questions or comments on this or any other state issue, or if you would like to be added to my mailing list or receive my newsletter, please contact my office. My office can be reached by mail at 19 Canalview Mall, Fulton, NY 13069 and by email at barclayw@nyassembly.gov. You may also find me, Assemblyman Will Barclay, on Facebook or X at @WillABarclay.
