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Nuclear Energy: Clean-Air Energy
America’s 104 nuclear power reactors provide about 19 percent of its electricity. Among clean-air electricity sources, nuclear energy plays an even greater role. Only 27 percent of our nation’s electricity overall comes from clean-air sources, and nuclear power plants generate almost three-fourths of it.

The other major sources of clean-air electricity are hydro-electric plants, which provide 6.9 percent of our nation’s electricity; wind energy, 0.6 percent; and solar energy, less than 0.01 percent.

Clean Air Act Targets Two Major Pollutants
Nuclear power plants do not burn anything when producing electricity, so they do not produce combustion byproducts—such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. The first two types of emissions are regulated under the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments. Carbon dioxide is the focus of the administration’s voluntary greenhouse gas reduction program.

By substituting for other types of generating facilities, nuclear power plants prevent substantial emissions of these materials and are essential to meeting clean-air goals in the states where they are located.

Nitrogen Oxides. Nitrogen oxides play a major role in the formation of ozone, which is detrimental to human health. Nitrogen oxides also are a significant contributor to acid rain. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Interstate Rule will reduce total nitrogen oxide emissions by 2 million tons for 28 states and the District of Columbia by 2015. Nuclear energy produces more than 25 percent of the electricity in half of these states. Without that electricity production, the EPA goals for reducing nitrogen oxide emissions would be harder to achieve.

In 2006, U.S. nuclear power plants avoided the emission of 1 million short tons of nitrogen oxides—the same amount emitted by more than 51 million passenger cars in a year. This means that without nuclear energy, more than 51 million cars would have to come off the road to keep the emission of nitrogen oxides where they are today.

Sulfur Dioxide. Sulfur dioxide contributes to acid rain. A main objective of the Clean Air Act amendments is to reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide emitted into the atmosphere.

In 2006, nuclear plants avoided the emission of 3.1 million short tons of this pollutant—more than twice that avoided by hydroelectric power and all other renewable energy sources combined.

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