MJB&A Authors Report Profiling Emissions Performance of Top 100 U.S. Power Companies

M.J. Bradley & Associates (MJB&A) recently developed a report for Ceres, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), Constellation Energy, and Entergy Corporation comparing the air pollutant emissions of America's 100 largest electric power producers. The report offers insights into the trends shaping the electric power industry as well as some of the strategies companies are using to improve environmental performance.

The report, Benchmarking Air Emissions of the 100 Largest Electric Power Producers in the United States, is the seventh collaborative effort highlighting environmental performance and progress in the nation's electric power sector. The Benchmarking series began in 1997 and uses publicly reported data to compare the emissions performance of the 100 largest power producers in the United States. The current report is based on 2008 generation and emissions data.

The Benchmarking Air Emissions report analyzes 2008 data submitted by power plant operators to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Energy Information Administration (EIA) and other sources, focusing on carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO_X), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and mercury emissions. The report provides detailed summaries of company-by-company emissions and emissions rates.

The report shows that since 1990, power plant emissions of SO₂ and NO_X have decreased 54 and 52 percent, respectively, due to the installation of air pollution control equipment and investment in cleaner sources of generation. CO₂ emissions from power plants rose 30 percent over the same time period, but have declined in the past several years due to a combination of factors including the economic recession and increased use of natural gas, renewable energy, and energy efficiency.

MJB&A assists private industry, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies in the strategic assessment of environmental and energy policies, programs, and technologies.