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Emissions Avoided by U.S. Nuclear Industry

Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions Avoided by the U.S. Nuclear Power Plants

 
Year Sulfur Dioxide (Million Short Tons) Nitrogen Oxides (Million Short Tons) Carbon Dioxide (Million Metric Tons)
1995 4.19 2.03 670.6
1996 4.16 1.89 645.3
1997 3.97 1.76 602.4
1998 4.08 1.76 646.4
1999 4.13 1.73 685.3
2000 3.60 1.54 677.2
2001 3.41 1.43 664.0
2002 3.36 1.39 694.8
2003 3.36 1.24 679.7
2004 3.43 1.11 696.6
2005 3.32 1.05 681.9
2006 3.12 0.99 681.2
2007 3.04 0.98 692.7
2008 2.65 0.91 688.7
2009 1.99 0.56 647.2
2010 1.60 0.56 642.1
2011 1.41 0.54 613.4
2012 1.00 0.47 569.7
2013 0.97 0.48 588.5
2014 0.96 0.48 595.0
2015 0.67 0.40 563.8
2016 0.42 0.36 555.5
2017 0.37 0.32 547.6
2018 0.35 0.29 528.0
2019 0.22 0.24 476.2
Total 59.79 24.51 15,733.9
Sources: Emissions avoided by nuclear power are calculated using regional fossil fuel emissions rates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and plant generation data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Updated: March 2020

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