Kathy Hochul last year directed the New York Power Authority to begin developing at least one new advanced nuclear power plant in Upstate New York while charting a course toward what she calls a statewide “nuclear reliability backbone” totaling 8.4 gigawatts of nuclear generation. When the Department of Public Service and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority released the 2026 New York Advanced Nuclear Policy Options Paper in June, the document offered the clearest picture yet of the financial challenge ahead.