The future of energy — and energy costs — in New England hinge on the continued operation of Millstone Nuclear Power Station if Connecticut remains committed to the administration’s goal of a carbon-free electrical grid by 2040. In a region heavily reliant on natural gas, the 2-gigawatt nuclear plant produces about 15 percent of the electricity in New England and is crucial to the region’s supply of reliable energy. But the future of Millstone isn’t guaranteed. Whether ongoing discussions result in a regional solution to funding Millstone could determine whether the plant stays open beyond 2029 — and Dominion officials warn that they’ll need to have a viable plan in hand for keeping the plant open by 2025. Keeping Millstone running avoids the need to use more natural-gas plants, which makes it crucial to a state with ambitious goals for carbon-free electricity. According to modeling in DEEP’s Integrated Resource Plan, if Millstone closes in 2029, building out enough renewable energy to offset the loss of the plant’s 2 gigawatts of zero-carbon baseload would cost Connecticut electric customers $5 billion by 2040 than if Millstone continues to run.
State Officials See Nuclear Plant as Key to Connecticut’s Energy Goals