Electric Utilities Waste Management Trend
The following graph shows the 10-year trend in quantities of TRI chemical waste that electric utility facilities managed, primarily through treatment or release. For more details on quantities released, toggle to the “Releases Only” graph.
From 2013 to 2022:
- Quantities of waste managed decreased by 740 million pounds (-44%) since 2013, driven by reduced releases and treatment.
- Net electricity generation by electric utilities from coal and oil fuels decreased by 47% (as reported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration). Note that only facilities that combust coal or oil to generate electricity are covered under TRI reporting requirements.
- Data from the Energy Information Administration indicate that the mix of energy sources for U.S. electricity generation has changed over time. Natural gas and renewable energy sources account for an increasing share of U.S. electricity generation, while coal-fired electricity generation has declined. Use of oil for electric power generation continues to contribute a small percentage of total U.S. electricity generation.
- In recent years, the amount of electricity generated has been the main driver of the amount of waste generated by electric utilities. Waste generation from TRI-reporting electric utilities has decreased in line with decreasing U.S. electricity generation from coal and oil.
In 2022:
- Approximately three-quarters of the sector’s waste was treated, while about one-quarter was released into the environment. Facilities in this sector most commonly reported using scrubbers and/or electrostatic precipitators to treat their gaseous waste streams.
The following graph shows the annual quantities of TRI chemicals released by electric utilities.
From 2013 to 2022:
- Releases from the electric utilities sector decreased by 298 million pounds (-55%). This decrease was driven by a 135 million pound (-68%) decrease in air releases and a 129 million pound (-49%) decrease in on-site land disposal. Surface water discharges and off-site disposal also decreased, but to a lesser extent.
From 2021 to 2022:
- Releases by electric utilities decreased by 9 million pounds (-4%), driven by decreased air releases of sulfuric acid and decreased off-site disposal of metals.
Pollution Prevention in the Electric Utilities Sector
Of the 435 facilities in the electric utilities sector that reported to TRI for 2022, 8 initiated pollution prevention activities to reduce their generation of wastes containing TRI chemicals. In this sector, implementing these activities may also lead to reduced greenhouse gas emissions. For example, one facility reported that they retired their coal combustion unit, and another facility reported that they are experimenting with biomass alternatives to the fuels currently combusted.
To find examples of electric utilities’ pollution prevention activities and the pollution prevention barriers they face, visit TRI’s P2 Search Tool.
EPA's Smart Sectors Program is partnering with this sector to develop sensible approaches to industrial operations that better protect the environment and public health.
This page was published in March 2024 and uses the 2022 TRI National Analysis dataset made public in TRI Explorer in October 2023.