On September 30, the 2026 New England Regional Nuclear Policy Summit at the University of Massachusetts Lowell brought together government officials, regulators, industry representatives and other stakeholders to examine the role nuclear energy may play in meeting the region’s future electricity needs. The National Governors Association convened the summit in partnership with the six New England states.
Panel discussions covered grid reliability, electricity demand, public safety, workforce development, advanced nuclear technologies and the need for greater regional cooperation. While the summit focused on nuclear energy, these discussions addressed a broader question: How will New England produce the electricity it will need in the decades ahead?
If this policy area impacts your organization, business, or industry, please contact our Government Relations Team through our Contact Page.
A Region That Will Need More Electricity
That question is becoming increasingly important as the region prepares for growing electricity demand.
ISO New England, which operates the region’s bulk power system, projects that annual electricity consumption in New England will increase approximately 9 percent between 2026 and 2035. Among the factors driving that growth are the increasing electrification of transportation and heating. At the summit, speakers also discussed the potential for significant additional electricity demand from data centers and other large users.
As one speaker put it, New England needs to find ways to get more “electrons on the grid.”
Meeting that need presents a complex policy challenge. The region must determine how to increase electricity generation while maintaining reliability, controlling costs and continuing the transition toward lower-carbon sources of energy. Policymakers will need to consider a range of credible energy options rather than expecting any single technology to provide the answer.
Nuclear energy is already an important part of that equation.
New England’s two remaining operating nuclear power stations, Millstone in Connecticut and Seabrook in New Hampshire, together supply approximately one-quarter of the electricity consumed annually in New England. Their contribution underscores the importance of reliable, around-the-clock generation to the regional grid.
Looking at the Next Generation of Nuclear
Much of the summit focused on the potential next generation of nuclear technologies, alongside the role of existing facilities.
Small modular reactors, or SMRs, received considerable attention. These reactors are designed to be smaller than traditional nuclear plants and potentially capable of being deployed in a more standardized and scalable manner.
This technology is moving beyond the conceptual stage. Ontario Power Generation is currently developing a BWRX-300 SMR at its Darlington nuclear site in Canada. The first unit is expected to enter commercial service by the end of 2030, and Ontario has approved plans for three additional units.
Whether and to what extent SMRs ultimately become part of New England’s energy portfolio remains to be seen. Their development, however, raises an important question that emerged repeatedly during the summit: What would it take to develop a new nuclear industry in the region?
Building an “Industrial Ecosystem”
A central discussion at the summit focused on the need to create what speakers described as an “industrial ecosystem.”
New technology requires financing, infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, educational institutions, a skilled workforce and a supply chain capable of supporting it.
One speaker compared the challenge to the development of the American space program. Government initially assumed significant financial and technological risk and helped establish the infrastructure, research capacity and workforce necessary for the industry to develop. Once that ecosystem existed, private investment and innovation increasingly followed.
Speakers discussed whether advanced nuclear could require a similar approach, with government sharing risk during the early stages of developing technologies and markets that may be difficult for the private sector to finance independently. That approach would help establish the conditions for sustained private investment.
Creating that ecosystem would involve far more than energy policy. Workforce training, higher education, economic development, infrastructure, permitting, financing and regulation would all be part of the equation.
For businesses operating in this space, effective government relations, lobbying and regulatory lobbying will require an understanding of how these different policy areas intersect.
Thinking Beyond State Borders
Regional cooperation was a consistent theme throughout the summit.
New England operates through an interconnected electric grid, and decisions involving generation and transmission in one state can affect consumers throughout the region. Energy officials representing all six New England states participated in the summit, providing an opportunity to advance that coordination.
When government panelists were asked what should happen next, several priorities emerged: continue bringing the states together, approach emerging technologies with an open mind, begin building the industrial ecosystem necessary to support future energy development and seek greater alignment among the six New England states.
Achieving those goals will require sustained effort. Each state has its own laws, regulatory structures, energy policies and political considerations. Greater regional alignment will depend on continued communication among governors, legislators, regulators, utilities, communities and the private sector.
As those discussions advance, government relations and regulatory advocacy will play an increasingly important role in helping businesses and other stakeholders navigate the region’s evolving energy policies.
Keeping the Options Open
A key takeaway from the New England Regional Nuclear Policy Summit was the importance of fully evaluating credible options for meeting the region’s future energy needs.
Electricity demand is expected to grow, reliability must be maintained and new generating resources will be needed. The six New England states also share an interconnected grid that makes regional cooperation increasingly important.
Whether advanced nuclear ultimately becomes a significant part of that future will depend on technology, economics, regulation, public acceptance and political decisions that are only beginning to take shape.
By bringing together government officials, regulators, industry representatives and other stakeholders from across New England, the summit provided an important forum for examining those questions and advancing a coordinated regional discussion.
If you want to learn more about this or other issues impacting your business or organization, please reach out through our Contact Page.
To learn more about the services offered by Levin, Paolino & Christ, click here.
Written by Michael Christ
Edited and Published by Dan Baribault