Environmental organizations promote wind and solar energy by asserting that these sources are more cost-effective than fossil fuels. However, when considering state and federal subsidies, as well as additional costs for new transmission lines, batteries, and equipment replacement and decommissioning, it becomes apparent that wind and solar are actually more expensive than commonly believed.
Even in terms of levelized cost, the state’s ongoing decarbonization efforts prove to be more costly than constructing advanced nuclear reactors. Advanced nuclear technology is energy-dense, requiring minimal land usage, and boasts the lowest environmental impact among all energy sources. It is crucial to pursue an energy solution that not only provides emission-free baseload power but also creates numerous employment opportunities.
According to federal law, advanced nuclear reactors are defined as devices that feature enhanced safety measures, consume less fuel, produce less waste, and offer higher reliability compared to older nuclear reactors. This classification encompasses small modular reactors (SMRs), which can be strategically located near their intended destination, thereby reducing transmission costs.
Compared to solar and wind, nuclear power is more reliable, and advanced nuclear technology does not necessitate the installation of new transmission lines.
The benefits of large-scale advanced nuclear power plants and SMRs have been acknowledged in Ontario, Canada, where construction is underway for both types of reactors. Additionally, the U.S. Senate has recently passed the “Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act of 2023” with bipartisan support.
Unlike solar and wind, which generate minimal permanent employment opportunities, nuclear facilities such as the now-closed Indian Point plant in New York supported 1,000 jobs and supplied a quarter of the power for the New York City metropolitan area, all while maintaining emission-free operations on just 250 acres of land. In contrast, the proposed Alle-Catt wind farm would span 30,000 acres of farmland and forest in Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Wyoming counties, posing threats to wildlife habitats and endangered species, such as bald eagles. Moreover, this wind farm would only generate 13 permanent, mostly part-time jobs.
New York’s climate change initiatives pale in comparison to the efforts of developing nations, where people desire access to basic amenities like electricity, heating, hospitals, and schools. Unfortunately, their pursuit of an improved quality of life leads to the burning of wood, coal, oil, and gas. To truly combat global climate change, we require an energy solution that can be exported to these developing nations.
While some regions, like California and Germany, have made significant strides in decarbonizing their grids with solar and wind power, they still grapple with expensive and unreliable energy systems, continuing reliance on fossil fuels, including coal. Alternatively, countries like Sweden and France have successfully decarbonized their grids through nuclear and hydroelectric power.
The pressing question of our time is whether we will deindustrialize to accommodate the intermittent nature of wind and solar energy, as warned by the grid operator NYISO, or if we will leverage existing technology, particularly nuclear power, to minimize emissions as much as possible.
We possess the capability to surpass the notion of covering a million acres of New York with solar panels and wind turbines. Embracing advanced nuclear technology represents a smarter approach to our energy future.
(Gary Abraham, an environmental attorney from Great Valley, Cattaraugus County, contributed to this article.)
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