RECAP: NYS Summit on Powering the Future with Advanced Nuclear Technology
As New York braces for a surge in energy demands, Greg Lancette, President of the NYS Pipe Trades and the Central New York Building and Construction Trades Council, was a key panelist at the recent New York Future Energy Summit, hosted by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) on September 4th and 5th, 2024, in Syracuse, NY. Lancette brought invaluable insights into how next-generation energy solutions, including new nuclear technology, clean hydrogen infrastructure, and thermal energy networks, can power New York’s future and help meet the state’s ambitious climate goals by 2030.
The New York Future Energy Summit brought together an array of stakeholders—state agencies, global and federal leaders, power producers, technical experts, labor groups, environmental groups, and business leaders—to discuss the pressing issue of New York’s energy transition. The summit highlighted the importance of accelerating the deployment of renewable energy technologies while collectively ensuring economic development, job creation, and resilience in the face of increasing climate challenges. New nuclear technology, in particular, was positioned as essential to balancing reliability with New York's renewable energy ambitions.
"It's CLEAR that governor hochul is taking action to stop energy hitchhiking our way to sustainability!"
"Finally, we are making a NEW, CLEAN POWER PLAN for New York," said NYS Pipe Trades President Greg Lancette at the NYS Future Energy Summit.
The summit featured voices from across the energy landscape, such as David Crane, Under Secretary for Infrastructure at the U.S. Department of Energy, and top experts from Cornell University and MIT. Discussions touched on global perspectives, highlighting how advanced nuclear development in other regions could serve as a model for New York.
Lancette’s contributions were central to the discussions on the role of emerging technologies in securing New York’s energy future. His panel, Blueprint for Consideration of Advanced Nuclear Technologies, explored how advanced nuclear power, combined with clean hydrogen infrastructure and thermal energy networks, can be key in transitioning from fossil fuel dependence to a cleaner, more secure energy mix.
Onandoga County Executive J. Ryan McMahon urged action on moving fast on building new nuclear, and praised NYSERDA's "Draft Blueprint to Consider Advanced Nuclear Technologies" as an important step in the right direction.
With the passage of the ADVANCE Act by the U.S. Senate and Congress, and its signing into law by U.S. President Joe Biden, the deployment of new nuclear technologies is being expedited.[i], [ii] This makes it feasible for New York to be among the first in the nation to deploy advanced nuclear through small modular reactors at former nuclear or mothballed coal plant sites to leverage existing infrastructure and significantly bolster grid reliability.
In fact, during the panel discussion Christine King, Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear Program, said that New York can start an environmental permitting process for new nuclear power “through an ‘Early Site Permit’ with a plant parameter envelope.” [iii], [iv]
This echoed comments made earlier by Georges Sassine, Vice President, Large Scale Renewables, NYSERDA, who said that New York will need “hyper collaboration” to reform its permitting process to accelerate access to renewable energy at scale, inclusive of nuclear, geothermal, and clean hydrogen infrastructure.[v]
Lancette emphasized that New York’s energy strategy must be pragmatic and multifaceted. Clean hydrogen offers a promising avenue for decarbonizing industrial processes, while thermal energy networks can enhance the efficiency of heating and cooling systems across urban areas. These solutions not only support climate goals but also create new, sustainable jobs, ensuring that labor plays a pivotal role in the clean energy transition.
As the state moves toward its 2030 climate goals, Lancette’s advocacy for next-generation energy solutions reinforces the need for continued collaboration among policymakers, labor, and technical experts. His presence at the summit underscored the importance of having skilled trades at the forefront of New York’s clean energy transformation—ensuring the state not only meets its environmental commitments but also powers its future with resilient, cutting-edge technologies.
New York’s journey toward a cleaner energy future is ambitious, and leading figures from the Clean Energy Jobs Coalition ensures that the voice of labor will be central to the state’s success. As new technologies are deployed, labor groups like the NYS Pipe Trades will be critical in driving job growth and ensuring New Yorkers have the skills needed for the clean energy economy.
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Footnotes:
[i] “ICYMI: Carper’s Bipartisan Nuclear Energy Bill, the ADVANCE Act, Heads To President’s Desk,” U.S Senator Tom Carper, Chairman, US Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works, Date: June 24, 2024, LINK: https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases-democratic?ID=A5835B83-D237-4B0A-BEEB-FF6505808BB2
[ii] “Newly Signed Bill Will Boost Nuclear Reactor Deployment in the United States,” U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, Date: July 10, 2024, LINK: https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/newly-signed-bill-will-boost-nuclear-reactor-deployment-united-states
[iii] “Future Energy Economy Summit,” press release, NYSERDA, September 5, 2024, LINK: https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Newsroom/2024-Announcements/2024-09-05-At-Future-Energy-Economy-Summit-Governor-Hochul-Calls-For-Advanced-Clean-Energy#
[iv] “Blueprint for Consideration of Advanced Nuclear Technologies,” panel, Future Energy Economy Summit, NYSERDA, Syracuse, NY, September 5, 2024, Time Stamp: 7:26:31, YouTube Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSx9-wYeWOw
[v] “Accelerating Renewable Energy Deployment in New York State,” panel, Future Energy Economy Summit, NYSERDA, Syracuse, NY, September 5, 2024, Time Stamp: 7:26:31, YouTube Video Link: https://youtu.be/DSx9-wYeWOw?si=AA4c_RdoOd2Nfh68&t=6007