New York is gearing up to crown a hometown for at least 1 gigawatt of new advanced nuclear generation this year, a move state leaders are pitching as a cornerstone for shoring up the power supply and fueling industrial growth. Officials say locking in a site would be the first big siting milestone in a program framed as a way to secure reliable, zero‑emission baseload power for the grid. The decision comes after months of solicitations and feasibility work meant to line up technology partners and prep a future workforce.
As reported by Bloomberg, state officials expect to land on a host community in 2026. Todd Josifovski, senior vice president of nuclear development at the New York Power Authority, told Bloomberg that the authority plans to issue a request for proposals to potential development partners this year.
State Direction And Goals
Governor Kathy Hochul formally ordered the New York Power Authority in June 2025 to develop at least 1 gigawatt of advanced nuclear capacity as part of a broader clean‑energy and industrial strategy, per the Governor’s office. NYPA plans to judge candidate locations on public safety, community support, water access, skilled labor and existing infrastructure as feasibility assessments get underway. The governor tied the nuclear push directly to workforce investments and regional economic development efforts, signaling that the winning community is expected to see more than just a power plant on the horizon.
Where Communities Are In The Race
NYPA issued solicitations and RFIs in late 2025 and said it received responses from 23 potential developers and eight upstate communities, including Broome, Jefferson, Oswego, Schuyler, St. Lawrence and Wayne counties, that have raised their hands to host advanced nuclear, according to NYPA. The authority says it is sifting through those submissions to shape a formal procurement and to narrow candidate sites based on safety, water access and workforce availability. Local economic development groups are already working the angles and arguing the project could deliver a wave of construction jobs and long‑term industrial investment.
Regulatory Road Ahead
Even once a host community is tapped, the project will still need to navigate federal licensing and environmental reviews. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission offers pathways that include early site permits and combined licenses, each involving public comment and extensive technical review, per the NRC. Those processes can stretch from months into years and will shape the schedule for any advanced‑reactor build and how soon shovels can realistically hit the ground. Sponsors often lean on pre‑application engagement and early site work to cut down on later delays, but timing will depend heavily on the chosen technology, available financing and potential legal challenges.
Why The Decision Matters
Supporters argue that advanced nuclear would provide steady, zero‑emission power that can back up intermittent renewables and lure energy‑hungry industries, while state and labor leaders point to the promise of new jobs and local investment. Critics counter that nuclear is slow and expensive and continue to press long‑running concerns about radioactive waste and community safety, concerns that surfaced around the governor’s announcement, per AP. With a formal RFP on deck and a host community expected to be named later this year, New York is heading into a sharper local fight over how to balance grid reliability, project costs and long‑term environmental risks.
