Congressional Resource Guide

Preserving the environment at nuclear energy facilities extends to generating electricity without producing greenhouse gas emissions, protecting water quality, and conserving and improving habitat for endangered or threatened animal and plant species. The companies that operate nuclear power plants protect the environment in all of these ways, under strict regulations and through voluntary programs.
 
Clean Air Energy
Nuclear energy has played a major role in reducing U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides by substituting for fossil fuels that otherwise would have been burned to generate electricity. Worldwide, nuclear energy prevents approximately 2.5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
 
Water and Land Use
Compared to other energy sources used for electricity production, nuclear power plants use moderate amounts of water. In addition, according to a recent independent study, nuclear energy facilities are one of the most compact low-carbon electricity generating alternatives. It would take a wind farm the size of West Virginia to match the annual electricity production of U.S. commercial nuclear reactors.

General

Nuclear Energy and the Environment
This fact sheet details how nuclear energy facilities provide two-thirds of America’s clean-air electricity. It also describes how all U.S. nuclear energy facilities have extensive environmental monitoring programs, which are under the oversight of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and state regulators.

Nuclear Energy Facilities Closely Monitored to Protect the Environment
This fact sheet describes the stringent environmental monitoring programs regulated by federal authorities in place at nuclear power plants. It also describes the required radiological environmental monitoring of air, water, land, food and produce grown near nuclear energy facilities.

Water Use

Water Use and Nuclear Power Plants
This fact sheet explains various power plant cooling technologies and their effects on ecosystems and environmental issues, with a focus on water withdrawal and consumption.

White Paper: Water Use, Electric Power and Nuclear Energy
As an essential component of the global ecosystem, water sustains human, animal and plant life. This NEI white paper analyzes how much water is used in electricity generation using different forms of electricity generation and different technologies.

Letters on Water Use at Power Plants and EPA’s Section 316b Rulemaking
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has received more than 14,000 letters supporting the electricity industry’s viewpoint on proposed regulations that would affect how power plants use water to cool their facilities. This one-pager includes selections from letters written by government leaders and prominent organizations.

Decommissioning

Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants
This fact sheet explains the process of decommissioning a nuclear power plant after it is removed from service. This regulated process includes the removal and disposal of radioactive components and materials.