Clean Power and Clean Water on Lake Ontario
For decades, nuclear plants along Lake Ontario have delivered carbon-free power while protecting the region's air and the drinking water of millions in its watershed.
As New York's demand for electricity continues to grow, the state will need more reliable, carbon-free power. Lake Ontario has been helping meet that demand for decades, making it a natural anchor for New York's clean energy future.
Because nuclear plants are not fossil fuel based, they generate electricity without adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. And unlike renewable sources that depend on the weather, they run around the clock, providing the steady output that makes them a natural partner to wind and solar on a low-carbon grid.
Clean energy means cleaner air for our communities. Nuclear plants do not produce harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), particulate matter, or mercury — substances that contribute to smog, acid rain, and serious health issues like asthma, heart disease, and lung cancer. By keeping those pollutants out of the air entirely, nuclear energy safeguards the health of the communities that live alongside it.
"Reducing pollution is very important for the long-term ecosystem health," said Dr. Lisa Glidden, Director of the Great Lakes Institute at SUNY Oswego. "The nuclear power industry is not fossil fuel based. We are not introducing more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Lake Ontario is important to this region because it provides drinking water for the millions of people who live in its watershed. The water system is all connected and I would love for people to understand that we are all part of that ecosystem as well."
To meet New York’s energy needs, clean power and a clean environment must go hand in hand. Nuclear energy is a proven way to meet that demand and protect the ecosystems we all depend on.