GHGRP Power Plants
The power plant sector consists of facilities that produce electricity by combusting fossil fuels and/or biomass. The sector includes units that are subject to the Acid Rain Program and any other electricity generators that are otherwise required to report to the EPA CO2 mass emissions year-round according to 40 CFR part 75. This sector also includes combustion units serving electricity generators that are located at facilities with primary NAICS codes of 221330 (Steam and Air-Conditioning Supply 1) or 2211xx (Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution), which includes some part 75 reporters that report heat input to the EPA on a year-round basis. The emissions from this sector are solely from stationary fuel combustion sources.
1 Establishments primarily engaged in providing steam, heated air, or cooled air. The steam distribution may be through mains.
Emissions Trend
What factors influenced the trend in emissions for power plants?
2023 Emissions by Facility Location
This map shows the locations of direct-emitting facilities. The size of a circle corresponds to the quantity of emissions reported by that facility.
Number of Reporters and Emissions in the Power Plants Sector (as of 8/16/2024)
| Power Plants Sector - Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reported to the GHGRP (all emissions values presented in million metric tons CO2e) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| Number of Facilities: | 1,592 | 1,609 | 1,579 | 1,549 | 1,487 | 1,411 | 1,379 | 1,391 | 1,371 | 1,339 | 1,338 | 1,333 | 1,320 |
| Total emissions (CO2e): | 2,221.7 | 2,089.5 | 2,105.7 | 2,101.7 | 1,972.3 | 1,875.1 | 1,799.4 | 1,814.8 | 1,668.7 | 1,495.1 | 1,597.3 | 1,585.6 | 1,471.5 |
| Emissions by greenhouse gas (CO2e) | |||||||||||||
| • Carbon dioxide (CO2): | 2,208.3 | 2,077.6 | 2,093.6 | 2,089.3 | 1,961.3 | 1,865.0 | 1,789.5 | 1,805.3 | 1,660.5 | 1,488.3 | 1,589.7 | 1,578.3 | 1,465.3 |
| • Methane (CH4): | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.1 |
| • Nitrous oxide (N2O): | 9.2 | 8.2 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 6.6 | 6.4 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 4.9 | 4.1 |
Totals may not equal sum of individual GHGs due to independent rounding.
CO2 emissions from the combustion of biomass are NOT included in emissions totals provided above.
Emissions by State for Reporting Facilities in the Power Plant Sector (as of 8/16/2024)
Power plants are the largest source of greenhouse gas pollution in the United States, accounting for more than one-quarter of all domestic greenhouse gas emissions. This map shows the total reported emissions from power plants by state in 2023 and the number of reporting power plants in each state.
Use FLIGHT to see total reported emissions from this sector by state.