Emissions Avoided by U.S. Nuclear Industry by State

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Avoided by U.S. Nuclear Power Plants in 2021

 
State Sulfur Dioxide emissions avoided (Short Tons) Nitrogen Oxides emissions avoided (Short Tons) Carbon Dioxide emissions avoided (Million Metric Tons)
Alabama 17,046 13,594 31.3
Arizona 3,283 8,842 18.7
Arkansas 7,389 6,105 7.9
California 37 760 6.8
Connecticut 288 1,136 7.5
Florida 2,405 3,928 13.3
Georgia 2,855 7,514 19.8
Illinois 50,063 28,507 63.1
Kansas 4,798 4,306 6.6
Louisiana 9,402 7,769 10.0
Maryland 6,183 4,105 9.3
Michigan1 16,316 12,339 24.5
Minnesota 12,723 9,486 12.7
Mississippi 6,417 5,302 6.8
Missouri 6,946 2,180 4.1
Nebraska 6,199 4,621 6.2
New Hampshire 165 651 4.3
New Jersey 11,604 7,704 17.5
New York2 785 3,738 14.5
North Carolina 5,140 10,568 23.9
Ohio 7,209 4,786 10.9
Pennsylvania 31,298 20,778 47.3
South Carolina 6,410 13,179 29.8
Tennessee 17,960 11,694 25.6
Texas 19,661 10,121 25.1
Virginia 3,406 7,003 15.8
Washington 942 2,226 4.8
Wisconsin 5,424 4,517 8.1
Total 262,352 217,461 476.5
1 Palisades prematurely retired in May 2022.
2 Indian Point 2 closed prematurely in April 2020, and Indian Point 3 closed prematurely in April 2021.

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: August 2022