Clean Energy Program News

As the new home of RIPIRG's environmental work, Environment Rhode Island can be contacted regarding this news release.

SOMERSET, MA—A new report released on July 26, 2005 by the Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group (RIPIRG) and Clean Water Action entitled More Heat Than Light: Global Warming Pollution From The Northeast's Dirtiest Power Producers has found that a small number of the northeast's power companies are responsible for the lion's share of global warming pollution from the power sector. Brayton Point of Somerset, MA, owned by Dominion, was found to be the top carbon dioxide emitter in the Northeast

The report names and ranks the companies that own the region's dirtiest, least efficient plants. . The region's ten dirtiest power companies emitted 64% of the global warming pollution while producing only 33% of the region's energy. NRG Energy, Dynegy Northeast, and Mirant own the dirtiest power plant fleets in the region, with global warming pollution emission rates that are more than twice the regional average.

"Looking at these numbers, it is clear that we need to clean up these old, dirty power plants," said Emily Rochon of Clean Water Action in Rhode Island. "Governor Carcieri should join other regional governors in support of a policy that requires these irresponsible companies to reduce power plant pollution."

The report also analyzed plant-by-plant data and found that the fifty dirtiest power plants in the region emitted 80% of the sector's global warming pollution while only producing 45% of the region's energy. There are 188 facilities that contributed to the region's electricity pool in 2004.

Many of the region's top emitters of carbon-dioxide were also top emitters of soot and smog pollution. Brayton Point was the fourth largest emitter of soot-forming sulfur dioxide pollution and the region's top emitter of smog forming nitrogen-oxides.

"Less than one third of power plants in the Northeast are producing the overwhelming majority of our region's power plant pollution," said Matt Auten of Rhode Island Public Interest Research Group. "Cleaning up pollution from older plants like Brayton Point will have a big impact on global warming emissions in the northeast and make it easier for generators to meet more stringent soot and smog regulations that are designed protect public health."

The report analyzed emissions from 188 electric generators in a nine-state region including New England, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware, using data from the federal Department of Energy on facility fuel use during 2004.

"We have a set of plant owners who are behind the times, and insist on using nineteenth century technology to power a twenty-first century economy," said Dave Dionne, a Selectman from Westport, Massachusetts. "It's just plain inefficient, and we can do a whole lot better. One thing this shows is that we have a fairly narrow set of targets when it comes to cleaning up the power sector."

With the region's governors actively negotiating a cap on power plant pollution-the so-called Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI-the report puts increased pressure on the biggest emitters in the region, who will have to take significant steps to cut pollution.

"Governor Carcieri joined other New England Governors in 2003 with a promise to cut power plants contribution to global warming," said Rhode Island State Representative Raymond Gallison (Portsmouth, Bristol). "It's time he follow through by leading the region in reducing power plant pollution."

Pollution from Brayton Point has impacted fisheries and recreational opportunities on Mount Hope Bay. The worst impacts of pollution from Brayton Point including smog, soot and mercury emissions occur within a 30-mile radius of the power plant; an area that includes Providence, RI and Fall River, MA.