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 We are committed to being good stewards of our environment. We are invested in the communities we serve -- not only do we work here, we live here. We can balance the need for new generation and protect the environment at the same time.
Nuclear Energy: Clean Energy
Nuclear power is one of today’s most environmentally responsible ways to generate power. This is because nuclear power offers several important advantages over traditional fuels:
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Produces clean air energy: Electricity from nuclear energy produces no greenhouse gas emissions that can lead to ozone formation or acid rain. Nuclear power is the only clean air source of energy that can generate large quantities of baseload generation needed to meet tomorrow’s growing demand for electricity.
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Generates small volumes of waste: The solid radioactive wastes generated by nuclear energy are completely isolated from the environment. Used nuclear fuel has long been safely contained, packaged and stored away from the environment at plant sites or secure waste repositories.
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Meets strict standards for radiation emissions: Nuclear plants are carefully designed, built and monitored to prevent releases of radioactive materials. The Environmental Protection Agency and Nuclear Regulatory Commission enforce strict standards.
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Protects water quality: Water discharges from nuclear plants contain no harmful pollutants and must meet federal Clean Water Act requirements and state standards that protect water quality. Progress Energy regularly tests the water to ensure it meets the highest standards.
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Provides wildlife habitats: The lakes, wetlands and other environments surrounding nuclear plants are excellent habitats for marine and terrestrial life, often providing refuge for endangered or protected species of plants and animals. Several of our power plants also maintain fish hatcheries or other wildlife protection plans.
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Is an efficient fuel source: Nuclear power makes efficient use of our natural resources. Uranium, which is used in nuclear power plants to make electricity, is a highly efficient fuel source, producing large amounts of energy from a small amount of fuel.
At Progress Energy, we’re committed to providing the reliable power our customers need while being a good neighbor to the communities we serve. Nuclear power, with its proven record of safe design, operation and environmental responsibility, is an ideal way for us to meet both goals.
Cleaner Coal
Coal-fired generation is more environmentally friendly than ever before. Progress Energy leads the industry in installing technologies that reduce emissions from coal-fired plants and improve air quality. We are installing scrubbers and SCRs (selective catalytic reduction units) at many of our plants. Scrubbers remove sulfur dioxide (SO2) from flue gas by injecting limestone and water to remove the SO2, while SCRs work like a car's catalytic converter to remove nitrogen oxides (NOx). In addition, we have already installed low-NOx burners on many plants.
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| Scrubber at the Asheville, N.C., Plant. |
Under North Carolina's Clean Smokestacks law, Progress Energy's coal-fired plants in the state will reduce SO2 emissions 74 percent and reduce NOx emissions by 56 percent by 2013 (from 2001 levels). In addition, the state of North Carolina has estimated that the controls we install as part of Clean Smokestacks will also reduce mercury emissions by almost two-thirds. We will see additional decreases in emissions as we work to meet the requirements of the federal Clean Air Interstate Rule and the Clean Air Mercury Rule.
To address particulate emissions, we have installed electrostatic precipitators at our coal-fired plants, which remove more than 99 percent of fine particles before they leave the stack. We also continually investigate new technologies being developed for coal plants.
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