More lies undone: The Enemies of electric vehicles invariably explain that because New York power companies burn Coal and other fossil fuels, there is barely any pollution benefits with Evs.
Another myth down a hundred more to go.
DD
Wednesday September 2, 1:47 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: The New York Power Authority
Study Ranks N.Y. Power Authority
Among Nation's Cleanest Utilities
NEW YORK, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York Power Authority (NYPA) ranks among
the environmentally cleanest of the 100 largest electric utilities in the United States, according
to a new study by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Public Service
Electric & Gas Co. of Newark, N.J.
The study rates NYPA as the cleanest utility based on emission rates for nitrogen oxides
(NOx) and carbon dioxide (CO2), after exclusion of the five utilities that burn none of the
fossil fuels that produce these pollutants. The Power Authority had the second lowest emission
rate for sulfur dioxide (SO2) among the utilities that burn fossil fuels such as coal, oil and
natural gas, trailing only Pacific Gas & Electric Co. of San Francisco.
In addition, despite being the 25th largest utility in terms of annual generation, NYPA had the
third lowest total emissions for each of the three gases.
''We are extremely proud of these results, which affirm the Power Authority's continuing
pursuit of environmental excellence,'' said C.D. ''Rapp'' Rappleyea, NYPA's chairman and
chief executive officer. ''The Pataki Administration has made cleaner air for New Yorkers a
top priority, and NYPA, which supplies more than one-quarter of the state's electricity, is
clearly helping to meet this goal.''
''With competition in the electricity industry on the horizon,'' said Ashok Gupta, senior energy
economist at the NRDC, ''NYPA's superior environmental performance will translate directly
into an economic advantage -- especially as ozone, acid rain and particulate standards are
strengthened and standards for greenhouse gas emissions are introduced. This, combined with
a strong commitment to provide energy efficiency services and clean alternative technologies
to its customers, will make NYPA not only an environmental leader, but also a preferred
energy provider.''
The study used 1996 emissions and power generation data that the utilities submitted to the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. The emissions rate
was based on the pounds of each gas emitted per megawatt hour generated during the year by
power plants of all types. A megawatt hour is enough electricity to light 10,000 100-watt
bulbs for one hour.
Rappleyea noted that more than 60 percent of the Power Authority's annual production
typically comes from hydroelectric projects and nearly 30 percent from nuclear power plants.
''With only about 10 percent of our generation from fossil fuels, we have a very
environmentally favorable fuel mix,'' he said. ''That's obviously a big help in our efforts to
protect the environment and in our excellent overall rankings. It is also important to note that
even our two plants that burn natural gas and oil did very well in the study.''
Based on power production at only the fossil-fueled plants, the Power Authority's emission
rates were fifth lowest for NOx and SO2 and seventh lowest for CO2.
NYPA owns and operates large hydroelectric projects on the Niagara and St. Lawrence
rivers, a pumped storage hydroelectric project in Schoharie County southwest of Albany and
five small hydro plants in various parts of the state. Its other generating facilities are nuclear
power plants in Oswego County and Westchester County and the two natural gas- and
oil-fueled plants, in New York City and Suffolk County.
The Power Authority is also a national leader in demonstrating and promoting environmentally
friendly technologies such as fuel cells, solar power installations and electric vehicles. In
addition, it is administering programs to replace old coal-burning furnaces at public schools in
New York City and other parts of the state with clean gas and oil boilers.
The new study expands on a similar analysis last year that covered the 50 largest electric
utilities in the 37 easternmost states. That study, based on 1995 data, ranked NYPA as the
cleanest utility in terms both of total emissions and overall emission rates for NOx, SO2 and
CO2.
The NRDC is a national non-profit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental
specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Public Service Electric
& Gas is New Jersey's largest electric utility.
SOURCE: The New York Power Authority |
