New England governors to work together to support nuclear and clean energy facilities

The six New England governors have expressed their commitment to maintain nuclear and clean energy facilities throughout the region.

The governors said they would work “in coordination with ISO New England and through the New England States Committee on Electricity (NESCOE), to evaluate market-based mechanisms that value the contribution that existing nuclear generation resources make to regional energy security and winter reliability.”

The six governors said the region has faced challenges in providing uninterrupted electricity service during prolonged periods of cold winter weather. This is caused in part by constrained natural gas infrastructure. They added that nuclear power plants have played an important part in providing reliable energy in New England. If a nuclear plant were to close, it could result in increased carbon emissions and winter energy security risks.

“Reliable and affordable energy is essential to ensuring that New England continues to attract investment in the region and grow our economies, while protecting our environment and quality of life,” the governors wrote. “Recognizing the importance of this task, the six New England states reaffirm our commitment to cross-border collaboration and advancement of our common goals, while working to ensure that the region’s energy system fosters continued reliability and more affordable electricity for local homes and businesses.”

They said they will commit to work together on mechanisms to value the important attributes of clean energy resources, while ensuring consumers in one state do not fund the public policy requirements mandated by another state’s laws.