NY nuclear plant owner looks to build small new reactor in Oswego, Gov. Kathy Hochul says

The owner of New York’s nuclear power plants is applying for federal funding to evaluate building one or more small modular reactors at its Nine Mile Point site in Oswego, Gov. Kathy Hochul said today in a document that accompanied her State of the State speech.

Hochul said her administration supports the grant request Constellation Energy will submit to the federal energy department. Constellation operates four traditional nuclear reactors in Oswego and Wayne counties that provide about one-fifth of the state’s power.

Constellation officials confirmed late today that they plan to apply to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for an “early site permit” for one or more advanced nuclear reactors at the company’s Nine Mile Point nuclear site in the town of Scriba. An early site permit conveys approval for the site, but does not cover the design and construction of a reactor, which would require additional approvals.

The company is submitting a grant proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy to help pay for the NRC application. If Constellation gets the federal funding, it will seek additional cost-sharing support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, company officials said.

“This is an important first step in helping to determine whether we can make new nuclear a reality in New York, which would create thousands of jobs and help the state achieve its clean energy and climate goals at a time of growing electric demand,’' the company said in a prepared statement.

The Department of Energy oversees $900 million in grant money to support the development of small modular reactors and other advanced nuclear plants. The subsidies are intended to offset the costs of implementing new nuclear designs.

Small modular reactors, or SMRs, are smaller than traditional nuclear power plants, typically no more than one-third the generating capacity. They are designed to be built in factories and transported to the site for installation. They often include advanced safety features and a modular design that allows operators to scale up by adding more modules as needed.

If Constellation builds an SMR in New York, it be the company’s first in the United States. Constellation, which holds a minority interest in Rolls-Royce SMR, is working with that company to deploy a fleet of SMRs in the Netherlands.

Hochul’s administration is examining the potential role that new nuclear reactors could play as demand for electricity surges in years to come, especially from Micron Technology and other energy-intensive industries such as artificial intelligence data centers. State officials are developing a master plan for “responsible advanced nuclear development’' that is expected to be unveiled this year.

Constellation, the nation’s largest nuclear operator with 21 reactors, operates four reactors in Upstate New York along the shore of Lake Ontario. Three of the reactors are in Oswego County: Nine Mile Point Units 1 and 2 and the James A. FitzPatrick plant. The fourth is the R.E. Ginna plant in Wayne County.

“New York State will ... support an application by Constellation Energy, the owner of New York’s operating nuclear plants, to the United States Department of Energy for a planning grant to explore the possibility of bringing a small modular reactor online,’’ Hochul said, according to a briefing document released with her speech.

Note: This story was updated at 5 p.m. with new information from Constellation Energy.

Staff writer Tim Knauss can be reached at: email | Twitter | 315-470-3023.