ANS Commends New York for Proposed Nuclear Policy

The American Nuclear Society (ANS) commends the State of New York for working to sustain the operation of all upstate power plants by proposing payments to sustain zero-carbon emission nuclear operations. “The actions of New York demonstrate that there are viable options available to keep economically-threatened nuclear plants open for the benefit of its residents,” said Donald R. Hoffman, ANS Special Committee on Nuclear in the States co-chair. “We encourage the New York Public Service Commission to swiftly adopt the proposed Zero Emission Credit (ZEC) and ultimately the Clean Energy Standard, which can serve as a model policy that other states might consider in maintaining their nuclear reactors,” he said, adding “The state’s reactors are vital low-carbon, reliable energy producers with significant environmental and economic benefits.”

The announcement of a potential sale by Entergy to Exelon of the FitzPatrick plant in Scriba, NY is contingent upon the state adopting a Clean Energy Standard which provides incentives for the clean air benefits provided nuclear power plants.

The American Nuclear Society formed the Special Committee on Nuclear in the States in 2015 to organize policy options for states as they consider the role of nuclear power in their energy mix. It released a Nuclear in the States Toolkit 2.0 in June 2016, which catalogs policy options and includes recent and relevant state activities.