New Yorkers currently struggling with high energy costs are in need of long-term relief. The state’s ambitious move toward a zero-emission grid relies on new renewables, but it can’t end there. Nuclear energy and the around-the-clock safe and emission-free power it provides should play a pivotal role.

With our aging grid facing more and more challenges, we can’t afford to pay for bad energy decisions. Opponents of nuclear like to cite the cost overruns of the Vogtle project, Georgia’s most recent nuclear expansion. And while that project serves as a cautionary tale, it should not be enough to stem the progress we can make toward a more reliable grid by adding to our already existing nuclear energy capabilities. To argue that nuclear energy is inherently too expensive ignores the facts on the ground today. It’s a misunderstanding that obscures the urgent challenges we’re facing, and the realities of the grid we have to run.

Why New York needs nuclear

First, reliability is trending the wrong way. New York’s grid operator projects that electricity demand could nearly double in the next 15 years, and that the state will need to add enough electricity to power the equivalent of 40 million homes. That means firm,........

© lohud.com