What's being done to reduce the U.S. emission of greenhouse gases?

Nuclear Energy: America's Number One Reason for Greenhouse Gas Reduction

The Clinton administration's Climate Change Action Plan says nuclear energy "will continue to play a key role in limiting CO2 emissions for electricity production." That's an understatement: Nuclear energy is the single largest contributor towards achieving the administration's goal of stabilizing greenhouse gas emission at 1990 levels by 2000, an industry analysis shows.

Increased generation from nuclear power plants through 1994 already has reducted annual carbon emissions by 25 million metric tons below the baseline value for the period of 1987-90. That reduction is more than double the 11-million metric ton target for greenhouse gas reductions from the energy supply sector in the administration's plan.

"Every one percent improvement in nuclear plant capacity factor will further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly two million metric tons a year," said Marvin Fertel, NEI's vice president for nuclear economics and fuel supply. "These improvements, in addition to the 25-million-metric-ton reduction already achieved, could help realize one-third of the greenhouse gas emissions 'savings' needed to stabilize U.S. carbon emissions by the end of the decade."

Average capacity factor at U.S. nuclear power plants is expected to increase by five to 10 percentage points by the year 2000, Fertel told the International Conference on Climate Change at a May meeting in Washington, D.C.

The nation's 109 nuclear power plants eliminate 138 million metric tons of carbon emissions each year. Industry programs are projected to boost plant efficiency and further reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil plants.

Nuclear energy has been the dominant factor in avoiding greenhouse gases for more than 20 years, Fertel said. "It is responsible for 89 percent of all CO2 emission reductions realized in the electric utility sector since 1973.