2026-09-06 · contested story
Debate grows over New Hampshire’s plan to expand nuclear energy - Valley News
New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte, backed by a Republican legislature, issued a March 2026 executive order directing the state Department of Energy to build a 'road map' for expanding nuclear power, arguing that new and next-generation reactors could lower electricity bills and reduce emissions. Over the summer, the department held stakeholder sessions (dubbed a 'nukefest') gathering utilities, regional grid operators, industry advocates, and lawmakers. The debate crystallized around a central factual dispute: whether more in-state nuclear generation would actually reduce costs for New Hampshire ratepayers, given that the state is already a net energy exporter and that regional wholesale prices are set by the highest-priced supplier accepted each day.
How each side frames it
left
"But I still believe nuclear power is an absolute disaster waiting to happen."
"It's a very unforgiving technology, and we saw what we were doing as an effort to stand up for social justice"
"the standoff at Seabrook helped spark a national backlash against nuclear power that has reverberated for decades"
"Some environmental advocates now question whether their opposition to nuclear power paved the way for more coal, oil, and natural gas power plants"
center
"Just because an asset is located in the state of New Hampshire doesn't mean we buy the energy or benefit from the energy"
"Additional nuclear power in our state will not reduce electricity rates, because of how electricity prices are set."
"New nuclear might be the right play for New Hampshire, in pursuit of fuel diversity, decarbonization and predictability. But ratepayers should keep an eye on their wallets."
"The jury is still out [on] the quest for affordable small modular reactors"
"When the facts change, I change my mind — what do you do, sir?"
right
"Granite Staters' electric bills are way too high, and we need to expand our energy supply to bring down costs"
"NH Governor Signs Order Promoting Nuclear Power Expansion as Maine Suffers Skyrocketting Energy Costs"
"Build more nuclear and bring the data centers and factories to NH and we will never need an income tax and can slash our property taxes."
"TWO! Build two nuclear facilities one for the residents of NH and one to sell power to our green neighbors which will pay for both."
"We are missing an opportunity to diversify power generation by not aggressively pursuing proven, reliable, dispatchable generation through combined-cycle natural gas turbines and SMR development."
What each side left out
The left left out — covered by the Valley News & In Depth NH & Concord Monitor
- The current 2026 Ayotte executive order and road map process
- Small modular reactor (SMR) technology and its economics
- The marginal-pricing mechanism that determines whether nuclear lowers NH rates
The right left out — covered by the Valley News & In Depth NH & Concord Monitor
- Expert skepticism that in-state nuclear will lower NH ratepayer bills
- That NH is already a net energy exporter
- Radioactive waste, safety and cancer-study concerns
The center left out — covered by the The Boston Globe & San Diego Union-Tribune & WBUR
- The dramatic protest history and mass arrests at Seabrook
- The emotional activist narrative of nuclear as inherently dangerous
The right left out — covered by the Concord Monitor
- That Eversource, NH's largest utility, did not express interest in getting into the nuclear business
What's actually true?
[verified] Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed a March 2026 executive order directing the Department of Energy to foster next-generation nuclear power in New Hampshire.
[verified] New Hampshire is already a net exporter of electricity, generating more within its borders than residents and businesses use.
[verified] Regional wholesale prices are set by ISO-NE such that all suppliers receive the highest accepted price of the day, meaning cheap nuclear would not lower the price ratepayers pay.
[verified] Seabrook Station produces 1,200 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 1.2 million homes.
[verified] Seabrook's final construction cost ran far over its original estimate, reaching roughly $6.2 billion (about seven times the original estimate).
[verified] Over 50% of New England's electricity is generated with natural gas, contributing to high regional electric bills.
[unverified] The levelized cost of SMRs is estimated between $141 and $200 per megawatt-hour versus $55 to $85 for new natural gas generation.
[verified] The 1977 Seabrook occupation resulted in one of the largest mass arrests in US history, with more than 1,400 activists held in National Guard armories.
The narrative clash
Whether expanding nuclear in NH will lower electricity rates for ratepayers
Left: investing in more nuclear power could lower costs for ratepayers and reduce emissions (paraphrased summary of Ayotte's executive order as reported)
Right: Additional nuclear power in our state will not reduce electricity rates, because of how electricity prices are set.
Cost-competitiveness of small modular reactors versus natural gas
Left: SMRs are much smaller, factory-built reactors that can be transported to building sites by truck or train. They require a fraction of the capital, can potentially be built in less than a third of the time and are scalable.
Right: estimates for the levelized cost of new natural gas generation run from $55 to $85 per megawatt-hour. The comparable figure for SMRs is between $141 and $200, according to the investment banking firm Lazard
15 sources analyzed
The Boston Globe San Diego Union-Tribune New Hampshire Bulletin The Maine Wire The Damage Report Cape Gazette Charlie Kirk Valley News NHPR In Depth NH WBUR Concord Monitor Monadnock Ledger-Transcript ABC 9 WMUR New Hampshire Union Leader