Reopening Indian Point is the wrong answer

If there is one thing we can agree on, it’s that the price of electricity is too high — way too high.

Con Edison has created an affordability crisis, and families, seniors and small businesses across Westchester County have reached their breaking point, being forced to make impossible choices between paying their rent, buying groceries or keeping the lights on.

It is an unconscionable situation and one that I have and will continue to fight. However, what is grossly disingenuous is for Yorktown Supervisor Ed Lachterman to make the argument that Indian Point, a nuclear plant that sits on a fault line, that is a terrorist target, and that would take at least five years to get up and running, is a viable answer to energy costs that are soaring.

When Entergy decided to close the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, it was also facing an estimated $2 billion cost to build a cooling tower and determined it was not financially feasible. As part of the closure, and to exit its tax agreement, Entergy agreed not to reopen the plant without unanimous consent from the taxing government entities, including New York State and Westchester County. For the communities living and working nearby, this was not just a policy decision. It was a clear signal that there were real concerns about safety, oversight and what could happen if something went wrong.

At this time, there is no longer a nuclear reactor at Indian Point. Reopening the facility would mean starting from scratch. Another real question is whether we would site a nuclear power plant in close proximity to nearly 20 million people without a viable evacuation plan. The answer is a hard no.

I support Gov. Kathy Hochul’s all-of-the-above approach to energy, one that includes nuclear where appropriate, but recognizes that Long Island, the Hudson Valley and New York City are not appropriate locations.

Even setting safety aside, the economics do not add up. Holtec has stated it would take five years and approximately $6 billion to build a small modular reactor at the site. That does nothing to address today’s energy costs. Under current regulations, those costs could be passed directly onto ratepayers.

We do not need headlines; we need serious, informed conversations about our energy future. That means focusing on real solutions: accelerating renewable energy projects, building the transmission infrastructure we need and reducing demand through greater energy efficiency. I am glad Supervisor Lachterman has acknowledged that he does not have all of the engineering answers. Neither do I. But I listen to the experts, I look at the facts, and I take seriously the responsibility we have to make decisions that protect the people of Westchester.

It is true that I have publicly stated that reopening Indian Point is not welcome in Westchester. And I stand by my assessment that raising the prospect of reopening Indian Point now is a pointless election-year stunt. So let me be clear: I believe the best decision for the people of Westchester today is to keep Indian Point closed.

We have read the studies. We have seen the reports. And those of us who lived through Sept. 11 will never forget that the flight paths of the hijacked planes brought them over Indian Point before they struck their targets. We cannot simply erase that history when we talk about the future of a nuclear power plant in the heart of one of the most densely populated regions in the country.

Indian Point is closed and undergoing decommissioning. Reopening it would not erase the concerns that led us here or somehow turn back the clock. We know how this story ended. Simply because some people do not like the ending does not mean rereading the book will change the outcome.

It is time to stop looking backward and start having a serious conversation about how we build a reliable, affordable and sustainable energy future for Westchester.

Ken Jenkins is the Westchester County Executive.