By William Opalka

Nuclear power plant owners are welcoming reports that Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants state regulators to mandate that half of the state’s energy come from renewable energy sources by 2030 while creating incentives for nuclear to remain viable in the interim.

Getting 50% of its energy from wind, solar and other renewable resources by 2030 is currently a state goal, but it lacks the force of an order from the New York Public Service Commission. The governor is also seeking a way to keep the R.E. Ginna and James A. Fitzpatrick nuclear plants on Lake Ontario in the state’s fleet to help New York meet the federal Clean Power Plan. The hope for those in the nuclear industry is that these combined efforts will mean their plants will serve as the primary source for low-carbon power in the near term.

The New York Times first reported the proposed mandate on Sunday. A source told RTO Insider the details could be released in the governor’s annual State of the State address in January, with final action by the PSC hoped for about six months later.

“If true, this new policy would be a welcome and constructive step that promotes the transition to clean energy,” said David Tillman, a spokesman for Ginna’s owner, Exelon. “We believe that with the governor’s leadership, a state clean energy standard can be implemented that would recognize the zero-carbon, economic and reliability attributes of nuclear energy while maintaining New York’s focus on renewable energy and efficiency.”

Ginna is scheduled to close in 2017 at the conclusion of a reliability support services agreement that is now pending before FERC and the PSC. (See Ginna Lifeline to End in 2017; Profits After ‘Unlikely’.)

A spokesman for FitzPatrick could not be reached for comment. (See Entergy Closing FitzPatrick Nuclear Plant in New York.)

Advocates from different sectors of the power industry were generally pleased by the news.

“The clean energy standard as proposed by the governor is an important and forward-looking approach that will help attract investment in renewables and address market problems that need fixing,” Gavin Donohue, president of the Independent Power Producers of New York said in a statement. “The alternative is the potential loss of nuclear power in New York due to currently low natural gas prices — a scenario that would be catastrophic for both ratepayers and the environment.”

Anne Reynolds, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, supported the plan but is less sanguine about the nuclear component. “Gov. Cuomo’s reported directive to the Public Service Commission to mandate the 50% renewables by 2030 goal is great, encouraging news for the renewable energy industry,” she said. “Nuclear power, while emitting less carbon than coal or oil, nevertheless does not meet the definition of renewable technologies. Supporting uneconomic and aging power plants should not be the long-term solution, but should be a transition to a renewable energy future.”

Iberdrola USA, whose Rochester Gas & Electric unit negotiated the RSSA with Exelon, would not comment on the purported extension of Ginna’s operation. “We’re working to complete the Ginna Reliability Transmission Alternative to meet our requirement, anticipating it will be completed in mid-2017 when the plant is supposed to be retired,” spokesman John Carroll said.

GRTA is intended to provide access to other generation sources to supply the Rochester area and render Ginna unnecessary.

In contrast to the lifeline Cuomo is offering to the upstate nuclear units, the governor has repeatedly called for the closure of Entergy’s Indian Point plant, citing concerns over the safety of New York City, 30 miles south.

The PSC was supposed to take action on several clean energy orders at its meeting on Thursday, including one on a retail renewable portfolio standard, but the items were pulled from its agenda at the last minute.

“Because these programs are so important, we wanted to make sure we are examining all the issues. It is absolutely our intent to pursue these programs. Nobody should read anything into this, other than they are complex matters for our state energy policy and it’s important that we get it right,” commission chair Audrey Zibelman said to open the meeting.