Power Plant Emission Trends
EPA collects detailed sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions data and other information from power plants across the country as part of:
- the Acid Rain Program (ARP),
- the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR),
- the CSAPR Update, and
- the Revised CSAPR Update (RCU).
The 2021 annual data show a 20 percent increase in SO2 emissions compared to 2020, a 6 percent increase in NOX emissions, an 7 percent increase in CO2 emissions, and a 13 percent increase in Hg emissions. Additionally, ozone season NOX emissions increased by 5% nationwide and 4% in the CSAPR Update states in 2021 compared to 2020. During this time period, electric generation from these power plants decreased by 5 percent.
From 1995-2021, annual emissions of SO2 from power plants fell by 92 percent and annual emissions of NOX from power plants fell by 87 percent. In 2021, sources in both the CSAPR SO2 annual program and the ARP together emitted 0.94 million tons, a reduction of 11 million tons, or 92 percent, from 1995 levels. In 2020, sources in both the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) NOX annual program and the ARP together emitted 0.78 million tons, a reduction of 5.1 million tons, or 87 percent, from 1995 levels.
EPA began collecting mercury and air toxics data under the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards in 2015. Additional data reports for all programs can be found in our Facility Level Comparisons. Our Progress Reports provide a more detailed summary of our emissions reductions programs and the environmental benefits. A complete dataset for all programs is available in Air Markets Program Data (AMPD).
For the following figures, please select a pollutant:
year,Sulfur Dioxide (million short tons),Gross Generation (billion MWh) 1990,15.73, 1991,, 1992,, 1993,, 1994,, 1995,11.83, 1996,12.51, 1997,12.94,2.23 1998,13.09,2.33 1999,12.45,2.38 2000,11.2,2.48 2001,10.64,2.45 2002,10.2,2.47 2003,10.59,2.52 2004,10.26,2.57 2005,10.22,2.73 2006,9.39,2.71 2007,8.93,2.82 2008,7.62,2.77 2009,5.82,2.63 2010,5.17,2.79 2011,4.55,2.71 2012,3.32,2.69 2013,3.24,2.68 2014,3.16,2.69 2015,2.22,2.65 2016,1.49,2.58 2017,1.34,2.48 2018,1.26,2.6 2019,0.97,2.52 2020,0.79,2.36 2021,0.94,2.44
1991-1994 data are not available for Sulfur Dioxide.
Sulfur dioxide emissions have fallen since 1990.
year,Nitrogen Oxides (million short tons),Gross Generation (billion MWh) 1990,6.4, 1991,, 1992,, 1993,, 1994,, 1995,5.84, 1996,6.01, 1997,6.03,2.23 1998,5.97,2.33 1999,5.5,2.38 2000,5.1,2.48 2001,4.71,2.45 2002,4.47,2.47 2003,4.17,2.52 2004,3.76,2.57 2005,3.63,2.73 2006,3.41,2.71 2007,3.28,2.82 2008,3,2.77 2009,2.02,2.63 2010,2.1,2.79 2011,1.98,2.71 2012,1.71,2.69 2013,1.72,2.68 2014,1.66,2.69 2015,1.38,2.65 2016,1.2,2.58 2017,1.07,2.48 2018,1.02,2.6 2019,0.88,2.52 2020,0.74,2.36 2021,0.78,2.44
1991-1994 data are not available for Nitrogen Oxides.
Annual nitrogen oxides emissions have fallen since 1990.
year,Nitrogen Oxides (million short tons),Gross Generation (billion MWh) 1990,, 1991,, 1992,, 1993,, 1994,, 1995,, 1996,, 1997,2.57,0.99 1998,2.72,1.09 1999,2.45,1.11 2000,2.2,1.12 2001,2.03,1.11 2002,1.9,1.13 2003,1.6,1.12 2004,1.2,1.07 2005,1.27,1.24 2006,1.18,1.25 2007,1.15,1.29 2008,1.07,1.24 2009,0.82,1.17 2010,0.91,1.29 2011,0.87,1.26 2012,0.77,1.27 2013,0.73,1.21 2014,0.68,1.2 2015,0.62,1.23 2016,0.55,1.24 2017,0.47,1.16 2018,0.44,1.22 2019,0.39,1.17 2020,0.34,1.11 2021,0.36,1.16
1990-1996 data are not available for Ozone Season Nitrogen Oxides.
Ozone season nitrogen oxides emissions have fallen since 1997.
year,Carbon Dioxide (billion tons),Gross Generation (billion MWh) 1990,, 1991,, 1992,, 1993,, 1994,, 1995,2.16, 1996,2.23, 1997,2.3,2.23 1998,2.38,2.33 1999,2.39,2.38 2000,2.45,2.48 2001,2.39,2.45 2002,2.42,2.47 2003,2.47,2.52 2004,2.48,2.57 2005,2.54,2.73 2006,2.49,2.71 2007,2.57,2.82 2008,2.52,2.77 2009,2.3,2.63 2010,2.45,2.79 2011,2.35,2.71 2012,2.21,2.69 2013,2.23,2.68 2014,2.23,2.69 2015,2.09,2.65 2016,1.99,2.58 2017,1.92,2.48 2018,1.93,2.6 2019,1.77,2.52 2020,1.59,2.36 2021,1.70,2.44
1990-1994 data are not available for Carbon Dioxide.
Carbon dioxide emissions have fallen since 1995.
Hover left to right over the map to see the changes before and after.