Closure of New York nuclear plant will emit three times more CO2 than California car mandates will avert

Liberal politicians pretend they are the sole keepers of science, but in reality, many of the actions they take are unscientific and unserious.

Last week, American Experiment discussed the closure of the Indian Point nuclear power plant in New York, which produces more electricity in the Empire State than wind and solar combined.

Closing this nuclear plant will increase carbon dioxide emissions because the electricity lost from Indian Point will largely be replaced by natural gas. This would increase carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity generation by about 4 million metric tons per year.

Governor Walz has said his administration wants to impose California’s costly car mandates on Minnesota to “make sure there’s still ice on that lake in January.” However, Walz’s regulatory overreach would avert just 1.27 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, meaning the closure of the nuclear plant will entirely wipe out the California car mandates, and then some.

If liberal politicians truly believe that climate change is an existential crisis, their actions certainly do no reflect their rhetoric. Closing existing nuclear power plants is about the worst thing they could do for emissions, because these plants often operate reliably and at low cost.

In Minnesota, the fact that all but two Democrat State Senators voted against legalizing new nuclear power plants shows they’re not really all that concerned with reliability, affordability, or the environment. One DFL Senator even argued that solar energy works 24 hours per day, which it does not.

New nuclear power plants would be a far more cost effective, and sustainable way to reduce emissions from the electricity sector instead of pretending that wind, solar, and batteries will magically make these technologies reliable.

There is no reason why Minnesotans should stand for onerous left-coast regulations that make it more expensive to go to the grocery store, pick the kids up from school, or baseball practice if the Walz administration and other liberal lawmakers refuse to get real about new nuclear power plants.