Introduction

The President issued a directive on April 15, 1999, requiring an annual report summarizing the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced by the generation of electricity by utilities and nonutilities in the United States. In response, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) jointly submitted the first report on October 15, 1999. This is the second annual report' that estimates the CO2 emissions attributable to the generation of electricity in the United States. The data on CO, emissions and the generation of electricity were collected and prepared by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), and the report was jointly written by DOE and EPA to address the five areas outlined in the Presidential Directive.

• The emissions of CO2 are presented on the basis of total mass (tons) and output rate (pounds per kilowatthour). The information is stratified by the type of fuel used for electricity generation and presented for both regional and national levels. The percentage of electricity generation produced by each fuel type or energy resource is indicated.

The 1999 data on CO2 emissions and generation by fuel type are compared to the same data for the previous year, 1998. Factors contributing to regional and national level changes in the amount and average output rate of CO2 are identified and discussed.

• The Energy Information Administration's most recent projections of CO2 emissions and generation by fuel type for 1999 are compared to the actual data summarized in this report to identify deviations

between projected and actual CO, emissions and electricity generation.

• Information for 1998 on voluntary carbon-reducing and carbon-sequestration projects reported by the electric power sector and the resulting amount of CO, reductions are presented. Included are programs undertaken by the utilities themselves as well as programs supported by the Federal government to support voluntary CO2 reductions.

• Appropriate updates to the Department of Energy's estimated environmental effects of the Administration's proposed restructuring legislation are included.

Electric Power Industry CO2 Emissions and Generation Share by Fuel Type

In 1999, estimated emissions of CO, in the United States resulting from the generation of electric power were 2,245 million metric tons,' an increase of 1.4 percent from the 2,215 million metric tons in 1998. The estimated generation of electricity from all sources increased by 2.0 percent, going from 3,617 billion kilowatthours to 3,691 billion kilowatthours. Electricity generation from coalfired plants, the primary source of CO, emissions from electricity generation, was nearly the same in 1999 as in 1998. Much of the increase in electricity generation was produced by gas fired plants and nuclear plants. The 1999 national average output rate. 1.341 pounds of CO2 per kilowatthour generated, also showed a slight change from 1.350 pounds CO, per kilowatthour in 1998 (Table 1). While the share of total generation provided by fossil

energy sources used for electricity generation result in varying output rates for CO2 emissions from region to region across the United States. Although all regions use some fossil fuels for electricity generation, several States generate almost all electricity at nuclear or hydroelectric plants, resulting in correspondingly low output rates of CO2 per kilowatthour. For example, Vermont produces mostly nuclear power, while Washington, Idaho, and Oregon generate almost all electricity at hydroelectric plants. At the other extreme, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky. New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, West Virginia, and Wyoming-a group that includes some of the Nation's largest coal-producing States-generate most of their electricity with coal. Regions where coal-fired generators dominate the industry show the highest rates of CO2 emissions per kilowatthour.

Coal

Estimated emissions of CO, produced by coal-fired generation of electricity were 1,788 million metric tons in 1999 (Table 1). 0.7 percent less than in 1998, while electricity generation from coal was 0.4 percent more than the previous year. The divergent direction of

generation and emissions changes may reflect a combination of thermal efficiency improvements, changes in average fuel characteristics, and variances associated with both sampling and nonsampling errors. CO2 emissions from coal-fired electricity generation comprise nearly 80 percent of the total CO2 emissions produced by the generation of electricity in the United States, while the share of electricity generation from coal was 51.0 percent in 1999 (Table 3). Coal has the highest carbon intensity among fossil fuels, resulting in coal-fired plants having the highest output rate of CO, per kilowatthour. The national average output rate for coal-fired electricity generation was 2.095 pounds CO, per kilowatthour in 1999 (Table 4).

Coal-fired generation contributes over 90 percent of CO2 emissions in the East North Central, West North Central, East South Central, and Mountain Census Divisions and 84 percent in the South Atlantic Census Division (Table 2). Nearly two-thirds of the Nation's CO2 emissions from electricity generation are accounted for by the combustion of coal for electricity generation in these five regions where most of the Nation's coal-producing States are located. Consequently, these regions have relatively high output rates of CO2 per kilowatthour.

*= the absolute value is less than 0.5.

Note: Data for 1999 are preliminary. Data for 1998 are final.

Petroleum

CO, emissions from petroleum-fired electricity generation were 106 million metric tons in 1999, 3.6 percent less than in 1998. Generation of electricity from petroleumfired plants decreased from 127 billion kilowatthours in 1998 to 119 billion kilowatthours in 1999. CO2 emissions from petroleum-fired electricity generation accounted for 4.7 percent of the national total, while generation from petroleum plants was 3.2 percent of the Nation's total electricity generation. The national average output rate for all petroleum-fired generation was 1.969 pounds CO, per kilowatthour in 1999.

The New England Census Division generates about onefourth of its electricity at petroleum-fired plants which produce approximately 45 percent of that region's CO2 emissions. The Pacific Noncontiguous Census Division generates about one-half of its electricity at petroleumfired plants, producing about one-half of the region's CO, emissions. The South Atlantic and Middle Atlantic Census Divisions also use some petroleum for electricity

generation, particularly in Florida. The South Atlantic Census Division contributes the largest share of CO2 emissions from petroleum-fired plants, 1.8 percent of the Nation's total CO, emissions from all sources.

Natural Gas

Emissions of CO, from the generation of electricity at natural gas-fired plants were 337 million metric tons in 1999. Natural gas-fired plants were the only fossil-fueled plants to substantially increase generation from 1998 to 1999. Generation increased an estimated 15.0 percent, with CO, emissions increasing a corresponding 15.7 percent. Emissions of CO, from natural gas-fired plants represented 15.0 percent of total CO, emissions from electricity generation in 1999, while natural gas-fired electricity generation accounted for 15.2 percent of total generation. The output rate for CO2 from natural gasfired plants in 1999 was 1.321 pounds CO, per kilowatthour. Natural gas is the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel.