Insights > New Report Positions Entergy as Environmental Performance Leader

New Report Positions Entergy as Environmental Performance Leader

By:

07/18/2016

Entergy’s results reflect our longtime voluntary commitment to reduce CO2 emissions.

The 2016 Benchmarking Air Emissions Report has just been released. This annual analysis of the 100 largest U.S. electric power producers lists Entergy Corporation as one of the country’s best in managing air emissions.

In the report, we rank 79th in CO2 emission rate. That means Entergy produces fewer CO2 emissions per MWh than 78 of the top 100 U.S. power producers. At the same time, we produce the eighth-largest amount of electricity.

These results reflect Entergy’s longtime commitment to reduce the impact of our operations on the environment. We were the first American utility to voluntarily cap CO2 emissions from our power plants and today, we have one of the cleanest generation fleets in the nation.

Our ongoing commitment through 2020 is to maintain CO2 emissions from our power plants and controllable power purchases at 20 percent below year-2000 levels. At the end of 2015, our cumulative emissions were nine percent below our cumulative 2001-2015 target.

We’re making these significant strides largely through investments in efficient natural gas-fired generation sources and nuclear generation sources. Overall, there is an industry trend of downward emissions. From 2005 through 2014, power plant CO2 emissions decreased by 15 percent.

In 2014, power plant SO2 and NOx emissions were 80 percent and 75 percent lower, respectively, than in 1990 when Congress passed amendments to the Clean Air Act. Mercury emissions from power plants have decreased by more than half since 2000. This is good news as cleaner resources benefit all stakeholders.

While not reflected in the report’s 2014 emission charts, Entergy’s mercury emissions controls at our coal facilities became operational this year.  This will greatly reduce the company’s total mercury emissions. 

We participate in this report because the assessment and presentation of the information helps the public understand air emissions issues, recognizes our accomplishments, and can guide the future for our company and industry. At Entergy, we will continue this strong record of environmental performance as we provide affordable, reliable energy to our customers while delivering value to all our stakeholders.

Learn more in Entergy’s 2015 Integrated Report.

Other Entergy emissions charts are available here.