Gov. Andrew Cuomo has made no secret of his desire to make New York state the national leader in environmental policies and practices. His administration relentlessly promotes renewable power generation and has begun to redesign the state's energy system through its infrastructure and regulatory framework.

With his recent precedent-setting directive to the Department of Public Service, Cuomo made New York the only state to require a specific percentage of power from renewable generation.

Cuomo's directive is particularly notable because it also marks New York's first formal policy declaration of the importance that nuclear power plays in maintaining a clean energy portfolio and achieving emission reductions, highlighting upstate plants in particular.

However, it is the entirety of New York's nuclear fleet that deserves recognition, not just upstate power plants. There is no difference between the nuclear facilities that operate downstate and those upstate.

According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, almost 60 percent of the carbon-free electricity in New York is produced by nuclear power plants. Of all the carbon-free technologies available, such as wind turbines and solar panels, nuclear is the only power source than can deliver energy around the clock and in all types of weather. As the governor emphasized in his directive, "additional attention needs to be given to ensure emissions-free sources of electricity remain operational." This means all of New York's nuclear power plants.

There has been some movement in the state to differentiate between individual nuclear power plants, with governmental support of some plants coupled with disapproval of others. This sends conflicting messages that communicate New York's energy policies are unstable and subject to the prevailing winds. If New York wants clean energy and economic growth, it must send the clear message that it supports and values nuclear power plants.

It is too late to save the James A. FitzPatrick plant, as bad policy and low natural gas prices have forced its closure. But it is not too late to preserve the rest of New York's essential nuclear fleet, including Indian Point Energy Center, which contributes 25 percent of New York City and Westchester County's energy.

Most importantly to Cuomo's climate change goals, Indian Point emits virtually zero carbon and provides the clean energy the governor is so aggressively seeking. The plant's operation prevents 8.5 million tons of toxic carbon emissions into the atmosphere — the equivalent of keeping 1.6 million cars off the road.

A study by the Charles River Associates found carbon emissions would increase by 15 percent if Indian Point were to close. Toxic emissions from fossil-fueled electric generation disproportionately harm already over-polluted and underserved communities in New York City.

Despite its environmental necessity and stellar safety record, Indian Point is bogged down in the most drawn-out license renewal process in the history of the industry — longer than the license renewal process of all other nuclear power plants in New York state combined. The staff of the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission is on site at Indian Point 24 hours a day and has recommended license renewal.

The nonprofit in charge of New York's electric grid expressed concerns about reliability, meaning potential blackouts and brownouts, without Indian Point's power, especially following severe storms like Sandy.

More Information Arthur "Jerry" Kremer, former chairman of the Assembly Ways & Means Committee, is the chairman of the New York Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance, of which Entergy, the owner of Indian Point, is a member. www.area-alliance.org. See More Collapse

Cuomo said it best: "Talking about goals and achieving them are two different things."

It's time for New York to stop talking about clean energy goals and start achieving them. State support for the continued operation of Indian Point is necessary to achieving New York's Clean Energy Standard.