ALBANY, New York — Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s successful quest to shut down the Indian Point nuclear plant spiked electricity costs and dirtied the energy grid of the city he’s now running to lead.
The closure, once hailed by some fellow Democrats as a bold safety move, is now under heavier scrutiny as New York confronts surging electricity demand, rising emissions and lagging renewable projects.
Key Democrats including Gov. Kathy Hochul and Rep. Ritchie Torres have voiced regrets or pointed to poor planning. And the city’s mayoral front-runner, democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, has been largely silent — leaving Cuomo’s energy legacy newly relevant as nuclear power gains ground in national climate politics…