US faces nuclear closure dilemma
Closure of the Indian Point nuclear power plant last month raises issue of what to do with rest of fleet
The final closure of New York’s 1.04GW Indian Point nuclear power plant last month will likely lead to a gap in baseload generation that will be filled by natural gas. Indian Point was 59 years old and would have needed significant financial investment to keep it going. The Biden administration is considering some form of aid to sustain the ageing US nuclear fleet, a decision that would prevent more carbon-intensive gas fired generation being used to generate electricity at a point where the nation is trying to reduce emissions. “Many overstress the competition between nuclear and renewables. But really, they are [both] competing against natural gas” Gilbert, Nuclear Innovation Allian
Also in this section
28 November 2025
The launch of the bloc’s emissions trading system in 2005 was a pioneering step, but as the scheme hits 21 its impact as a driver of decarbonisation is still open to debate
18 November 2025
Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Dewhurst Award, the highest honour bestowed by WPC Energy. The Dewhurst Award celebrates exceptional leadership, groundbreaking innovation and a lifetime of significant achievements in sup-port of the development and advancement of the energy industry.
11 November 2025
Transition policies must recognise that significant industrial demand for carbon will continue even as economies hit net zero
6 November 2025
After years of pursuing ideologically driven climate leadership, Western powers are now stepping back under mounting political pressure and rising populist opposition—prompting concern essential climate action could be sidelined






