Jaffee Opposes NY Nuclear Plant Subsidy Plan

Assemblymember Ellen Jaffee (D-Suffern) has sent a letter to the Public Service Commission (PSC) calling the latest proposal to give nuclear power plants nearly $8 billion in taxpayer subsidies “unacceptable, largely out of public view, and in undue haste.”

The PSC plan includes subsidies for upstate nuclear power plants including the FitzPatrick plant, which its owner Entergy plans to shut down by the end of the year because it is losing money. See all the documents connected to the PSC's Motion to Implement a Large-Scale Renewable Program here. The comment period ends July 22.

Jaffee is Chair of the New York State Assembly Committee on Oversight, Analysis and Investigation and a member of the Committee on Environmental Conservation.

In the letter, Jaffee said, “this enormous nuclear tax on New Yorkers will have to be paid for by the working people of New York State, our businesses, and our local governments and schools.”

She said she was concerned because the enormous price tag for this nuclear bailout was revealed on July 8, the Legislature was not notified, and the public has been given "only two weeks to comment.”

The PSC is pushing to get the nuclear subsidies passed in time to save an unprofitable nuclear power plant in upstate New York and to prevent the closure of at least two other nuclear plants, but the funds may also be claimed to continue operations at Indian Point, she said.

The taxpayer subsidies to the nuclear industry are being proposed as part of a “Clean Energy Standard,” which had been promoted by the PSC as being about renewable energy and emission-free energy production.

“Nuclear energy is not renewable. Nor is nuclear energy emission free,” Jaffee wrote. “There are better, less expensive ways to meet our state energy and environmental goals that don’t involve bailing out dangerous nuclear power plants.”

Jaffee called on the Commission to give the Legislature time to consider and weigh in on the plan and to extend the public comment period and increase transparency.

PHOTO: FitzPatrick/Entergy