3 states with shuttered nuclear plants see emissions rise

[NickB79]

https://www.eenews.net/articles/3-states-with-shuttered-nuclear-plants-see-emissions-rise/

New York passed a law in 2019 requiring the state to eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by 2040. But over the last two years, the exact opposite has happened: CO2 from power plants has climbed nearly 15 percent, according to EPA data.

New York’s experience is hardly unique. In neighboring New England, where six states are united by a single electricity market, power emissions are up 12 percent over the last two years. And in Pennsylvania, emissions from electricity generation have grown 3 percent.

The rise in emissions follows the closure of three nuclear facilities in Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania since 2019. While all three states have expanded their renewable energy generation, natural gas has largely filled the void left by shuttered nuclear facilities, prompting emissions to rise.

That's a substantial jump in emissions

[uponit7771]

1. Its 2022 and NE is safer and clean enough to think about wider use.

[madville]

2. I work for an electric utility

Our natural gas plants are running harder than ever. We have added a lot of solar in recent years, thousands of acres and hundreds of megawatts, but the goal with increased renewables isn’t to reduce emissions or use less natural gas, it’s actually the opposite, it gives you offsets or credits so you can produce more emissions and use more natural gas. Kinda crazy.

[NickB79]

4. A friend of mine works at an oil refinery here in Minnesota

They're installing a field of solar panels. It's the same thing, that it's mostly for the carbon offsets and green publicity.

[madville]

3. Germany has closed 6 of their 8 nuke plants

And plan to close the remaining two soon. Their short term plan is to use more natural gas from Russia, let’s see how that works out….

[The Revolution]

5. Madness

If climate change is as serious as we've heard, then shutting down nuclear plants to burn more fossil fuels makes no sense whatsoever.