Wayne County among eight making nuclear power pitches
LYONS — Already home to the second-oldest operating nuclear power plant in the nation, Wayne County officials have made it clear for years they’d welcome another facility.
Potentially, that could happen.
The New York Power Authority has announced what it called a “robust response” to solicitations issued in October 2025 seeking potential host communities and development partners to develop advanced nuclear power. NYPA said Wayne County is among eight upstate communities expressing interest.
The Power Authority said its nuclear initiative was spurred at the urging of Gov. Kathy Hochul in June 2025 to develop at least 1 gigawatt of advanced nuclear capacity in upstate New York to address growing reliability, affordability, and clean energy capacity concerns. Hochul was expected to touch on her plans during Tuesday’s State of the State address in Albany.
“NYPA is quickly advancing efforts to develop an advanced nuclear project in upstate New York that will strengthen the reliability and resiliency of our state’s electric grid and deliver substantial economic benefits to residents,” New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin Driscoll said in a press release. “The enthusiastic response to the Power Authority’s first round of solicitations reflects a strong desire from communities and collaborators that are ready and willing to help us lead New York into its clean energy future.”
Wayne and seven other communities, largely on the Great Lakes or St. Lawrence River, responded to the Power Authority’s “request for information” from upstate communities interested in hosting an advanced nuclear project.
Wayne County Board of Supervisors Chair Kim Leonard told the Power Authority in a letter included with its expression-of-interest submission that the county is an ideal location for another nuclear power facility.
“Wayne County is eager to become a key part of New York State’s Advanced Nuclear Master Plan,” Leonard wrote. “As our submission demonstrates, our county in scenic upstate New York has several viable sites that meet both the technical feasibility and community support requirements for this vital project. We are confident that our comprehensive response ‘checks all the boxes’ and shows that Wayne County has the perfect mix of technical and community resources for this project. We look forward to discussing our proposal further with you.”
Interim County Administrator Mark Humbert agreed with Leonard.
“Wayne County has successfully supported and hosted the Robert E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant for over 50 years,” Humbert said. “The county is uniquely prepared to host additional nuclear generation capacity in Wayne County. The county has developed the necessary technical and community resources and services to host additional advanced nuclear power. We recognize nuclear (power) as a safe, reliable and low-carbon source of power that will be necessary to meet the quickly expanding needs of the Finger Lakes region and all of New York State.”
Constellation Energy Generation, which operates Ginna, is among the companies expressing interest in becoming a developer/partner in a new nuclear facility.
NYPA said it is reviewing responses to the solicitations “and will use that information to help guide its nuclear efforts in 2026.”
The Power Authority said its nuclear initiative “is intended to deliver firm, zero-emission power that complements renewable generation, strengthens grid reliability, prioritizes affordability and advances an energy policy of abundance that prioritizes energy independence and supply chain security. Advanced nuclear will ensure an around-the-clock energy supply and is part of Gov. Hochul’s all-of-the-above approach to ensure New York has enough power to keep the lights on and rates down while helping attract new economic development opportunities.”