Opinion: Nuclear energy in New England, once unthinkable, now indispensable

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 16, 2026

The New England region was once a pioneer in nuclear energy, building some of the earliest nuclear plants in the world. However, in the last 30 years, the region became a center of opposition to nuclear, and all but two of them have closed. Nuclear technology has improved dramatically, the demand for electricity has grown more pressing and the understanding of how renewables fit in with other energy sources has “evolved.” It is not yet clear that it will join the national trend toward nuclear renewal, but there are reasons that it ought to. Most of all, the region needs the electricity. ~ Leonard Rodberg, Ph.D.