Key Issues
Nuclear Energy and the Environment
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September 2009
Key Facts
Nuclear: Clean-Air Energy
America’s 104 nuclear power reactors provide nearly 20 percent of its electricity. Among clean-air electricity sources, nuclear energy plays an even greater role. Only 27 percent of our nation’s electricity comes from clean-air sources, and nuclear power plants generate almost three-fourths of it.
The other major sources of clean-air electricity are hydroelectric plants, which provide 5.9 percent of our nation’s electricity; wind energy, 1.3 percent; and solar energy, less than 0.01 percent.
Next Page: "Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions" >>
September 2009
Key Facts
- Nuclear power plants generate about 20 percent of U.S. electricity. They do not burn hydrocarbons when producing electricity, so they do not produce any greenhouse gases or combustion byproducts. By substituting for fossil fuels in the electricity sector, nuclear energy has significantly reduced U.S. emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
- About one-quarter of America’s electricity comes from clean-air sources, including nuclear power plants, hydroelectric plants, and wind and solar energy facilities.
- Nuclear energy is the only large-scale, clean-air electricity source that can be expanded widely to produce large amounts of energy. Nuclear energy makes up more than 70 percent of all the nation’s clean-air electricity generation. U.S. nuclear power plants also prevented the emission of 1 million short tons of nitrogen oxides and 2.7 million short tons of sulfur dioxide—pollutants controlled under the Clean Air Act. The amount of nitrogen oxide emissions that nuclear plants prevent annually is the equivalent of taking more than 47 million passenger cars off the road.
- In 2008, U.S. nuclear plants prevented the emissions of almost 689 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. This is nearly as much carbon dioxide as is released from all U.S. passenger cars.
- Environmental responsibility is an important part of nuclear power plant management. The companies that operate nuclear power plants voluntarily work to protect nearby wildlife and their habitats.
Nuclear: Clean-Air Energy
America’s 104 nuclear power reactors provide nearly 20 percent of its electricity. Among clean-air electricity sources, nuclear energy plays an even greater role. Only 27 percent of our nation’s electricity comes from clean-air sources, and nuclear power plants generate almost three-fourths of it.
The other major sources of clean-air electricity are hydroelectric plants, which provide 5.9 percent of our nation’s electricity; wind energy, 1.3 percent; and solar energy, less than 0.01 percent.
Next Page: "Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions" >>
