New England governors issue statement on benefits of nuclear energy

The governors of five New England states issued a joint statement highlighting the benefits of nuclear energy while calling for an evaluation of plans to properly value secure, clean energy sources.

“Effective next June, the [New England] region will have two nuclear power plants that represent approximately 3,500 megawatts of baseload energy that is not dependent on natural gas infrastructure and also helps to meet emission goals,” wrote the governors of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. “While some regional programs, including the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, assign value to clean energy resources, it is important to continue to evaluate cost-effective policies that properly value existing clean energy resources which have significant fuel security implications.”

The governors stated that winter fuel security is the most significant issue facing the region and they underlined the challenge of increasing reliance on natural gas-fired generation during the winter months.

“These concerns have been heightened as non-natural gas-fired generation resources, such as nuclear, coal, and oil, have retired in recent years,” they wrote. “During recent winters, ISO New England has been relying on more expensive, carbon-intensive oil-fired units to ensure sufficient generation to meet hour-by-hour demands on our energy system.”

The governors explained that each state’s policy priorities would inform their own solutions.

“It is essential that the ISO-NE accurately define the nature and extent of the problem, ensure that reasonable assumptions are made regarding available resources, and provide transparent information regarding the operational benefits of different solutions,” the governors wrote. “When considering market design options, the ISO-NE must also examine whether existing markets that provide similar services are providing benefits commensurate with the costs borne by New England customers.”

Several states – including New York, Illinois, and New Jersey – have taken steps to value nuclear energy’s zero-emissions benefits properly. Those states are using zero-emissions credits to compensate their nuclear plants for carbon-free electricity generation.

Further, Connecticut passed a law in 2017 that would allow the Millstone Power Station to compete with other non-emitting sources in a clean electricity procurement program. Similar policies are being considered in Ohio and Pennsylvania.