At NRG, we have invested hundreds of millions of dollars since 2000 to reduce air emissions at our coal-fueled power plants, including nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and mercury (Hg). We are committed to spending nearly $900 million through 2015 to ensure our facilities lead the power industry in air quality emissions reductions and quality improvements.

Emissions Reductions in the Northeast NRG owns and operates more than a dozen power facilities in the Northeast region of the United States, which include some of our oldest coal-fueled plants. Through a combination of installing advanced emissions controls, repowering older facilities with new high-efficiency units and switching to low-sulfur coal, NRG's investments have paid off with significant reductions in emissions since 2000. With planned capital expenditures, the reductions will continue well into the next decade.

Greenhouse Gas Reductions NRG's capital expenditures include repowering older facilities with new high efficiency units that produce far less greenhouse gas emissions per megawatt of electricity. As newer units come online, older units are placed on deactivated reserve or decommissioned, further reducing the amount of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) that contribute to global climate change.

NOx and SO2 Emissions Reductions At NRG, we know that the future lies in developing zero-emission sources of energy, such as nuclear, solar and wind energy. Our South Texas Project (STP) in Bay City, Texas generates power for approximately two million Texas homes with no emissions at all. We are also exploring ways of reducing carbon emissions at our existing plants by using biomass as a fuel, which is carbon-neutral and free of compounds such as NOx and SO2. As these projects continue to be developed and come online, power produced from these sources will offset, or displace power generated from fossil fuels, further reducing NRG's total emissions and continuing our progress since 2000:

NRG's CO2 Intensity Targets NRG’s goal is to reduce overall CO2 emissions intensity to a level comparable with a natural gas-fueled power plant, which emits about half the CO2 of a coal plant. Through a combination of adding zero-carbon generation from nuclear and renewable sources like solar, biomass and wind, repowering or shutting down coal-fueled units, and exploring post-combustion carbon capture technologies, NRG is committed to doing its part in the fight against climate change.

It takes time to build new power generating facilities but we are already on our way. As we continue to define a new approach to power generation, we believe we are well-positioned to be a “first-mover” in many of the major advances in the way power is generated and distributed in the coming years.