This paper describes the use of nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations to assess the feasibility of a new correlation electron cyclotron emission (CECE) diagnostic that has been proposed for the Alcator C-Mod tokamak (Marmar et al2009 Nucl. Fusion49 104014). This work is based on a series of simulations performed with the GYRO code (Candy and Waltz 2003 J. Comput. Phys.186 545). The simulations are used to predict ranges of fluctuation level, peak poloidal wavenumber and radial correlation length of electron temperature fluctuations in the core of the plasma. The impact of antenna pattern and poloidal viewing location on measurable turbulence characteristics is addressed using synthetic diagnostics. An upper limit on the CECE sample volume size is determined. The modeling results show that a CECE diagnostic capable of measuring transport-relevant, long-wavelength (kθρs < 0.5) electron temperature fluctuations is feasible at Alcator C-Mod.