The New York Power Authority has formally issued a call for nuclear developers and delivery partners to support its initiative to develop at least 1 gigawatt of advanced nuclear energy in Upstate New York. Alongside this, the authority has released an invitation to training providers to apply for USD 40 million in nuclear workforce development funding, marking a concrete step toward fulfilling Governor Kathy Hochul’s plans for nuclear new-build capacity, which she announced in June of last year.
The newly released Request for Qualifications builds on Requests for Information issued by the authority last year, to which more than 30 entities responded among them 23 potential developers or partners and eight Upstate New York communities. The RFQ is designed to identify a qualified set of developers capable of delivering an advanced nuclear generation project through two possible technology pathways: a large-scale reactor, “such as the AP1000,” and/or a small modular reactor “such as the BWRX-300.”
Respondents are required to present “credible pathways” to deliver at least 1 GW of advanced nuclear capacity in Upstate New York. These submissions must address technology readiness, siting and permitting strategy, schedule and cost assumptions, ownership structures, and partnership models. Firms that are successfully qualified will subsequently be invited to take part in a future Request for Proposal process.
The authority confirmed it would consider so-called nth-of-a-kind Generation III+ or Generation IV technologies, on the condition that a first-of-a-kind project either by the respondent or by another owner or developer is “at or beyond First Nuclear Concrete by early 2030.” The selected pathway must also “demonstrate a credible path to both produce 1+ GW of energy and start construction before 2033,” a requirement tied to eligibility for investment tax credits under the US Inflation Reduction Act. First-of-a-kind technologies and micro modular reactors fall outside the scope of this initiative. All bidders are expected to hold “commensurate experience,” and the submission deadline is 26 June.
The second solicitation takes the form of a Request for Applications directed at eligible training providers based in New York State. Selected providers will be able to apply for funding to develop and deliver technical training programmes under the Nuclear Energy Workforce Training initiative. The deadline for submissions under this RFA is 31 July.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul commented on the announcements, stating: “Nearly a year ago, I called on the Power Authority to lay the groundwork for the next era of emissions-free power in New York as part of my all-of-the-above approach to energy. The solicitations announced today will help ensure New York is poised to lead the nation in new nuclear development, that along with renewables, will provide needed power in the face of increasing demand to keep the lights on while helping keep costs down. By taking a proactive approach, we are preparing our state to take advantage of the opportunities associated with advanced nuclear, which will provide round-the-clock reliable clean energy while cultivating the partnerships needed to bring the project from concept to concrete.”
New York Power Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Justin Driscoll added: “New York needs reliable, around-the-clock clean power to meet growing energy demand, sustain economic momentum, and achieve a clean energy economy. These solicitations will help NYPA establish the roadmap for deploying the first new nuclear facility in New York in a generation that will deliver the dependable, emissions-free power we will rely on for decades to come.”
New York currently has four nuclear reactors in operation, all run by Constellation Energy, which together account for approximately 21.4% of all electricity generated in the state and 41.6% of its carbon-free electricity supply, according to data from the Nuclear Energy Institute. The State of New York has already backed the continued operation of these facilities two units at Nine Mile Point and the single-unit Ginna and Fitzpatrick plants by formally recognising their zero-carbon attributes within its clean energy mandate.
The two pressurised water reactors at the Indian Point plant were shut down ahead of schedule in 2020 and 2021 respectively, following a settlement agreement between the plants’ then-owner Entergy and the State of New York. Earlier this year, New York Congressman Mike Lawler called for those units to be returned to service.