Nuclear Power Dominates the Energy Grid in This Northeastern State

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• To mitigate the effects of climate change, the Biden Administration is aiming to make the U.S. power grid emissions free by 2035.
• However, state governments have broad discretion over their energy policy, while some are prioritizing emissions reduction, others remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels. 
• Currently, New Hampshire stands out as a leader in clean energy production.
• Also: 2 Dividend Legends to Hold Forever

Generating over 6.3 billion metric tons of harmful greenhouse gasses in 2022, the U.S. pollutes more than any other country except China. That same year, the electric power sector alone accounted for about 25% of America’s air pollution, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

With climate change as a leading global threat, many countries are taking action to reduce emissions. In the United States, President Joe Biden set a goal of achieving an emissions-free power grid by 2035 — largely by cutting U.S. dependence on dirty power sources, like coal, and increasing our reliance on clean, renewable sources. (Here is a look at 11 American companies on the cutting edge of renewable technology.)

In the last 10 years alone, the amount of electricity produced in coal-fired power plants has fallen by over 57% in the United States, from 1.6 billion megawatt-hours in 2014 to 675.1 million megawatt-hours in 2023. Over the same period, electricity production from wind and solar farms nearly tripled, from 199.3 million megawatt-hours to 586.7 megawatt-hours. The shift has had a meaningful impact, as emissions from electric power generation have fallen by nearly 24% in the U.S. since 2014, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The federal government has a long way to go to achieve its ambitious energy goals, and doing so will require the cooperation of states. Every state has its own climate, geography, and natural resources — as well as broad authority over energy policy. Partially as a result, some states are doing far more to reduce the climate impact of their power grid than others. (Here is a look at the states where carbon emissions are skyrocketing.)

Among the 50 states, New Hampshire stands out for its reliance on nuclear energy. Unlike power plants that run on fossil fuels, nuclear plants do not emit harmful greenhouse gasses while operating. Nuclear plants also generate power far more efficiently than fossil fuel plants or solar and wind farms — and can generate far more electricity in a smaller physical space. However, because of the presence of radioactive materials, each nuclear plant presents a risk of widespread air and water contamination, and therefore require stringent building codes and highly trained operators. Nuclear facilities also generate waste that can remain radioactive for thousands of years, and therefore require highly regulated transportation and storage protocols for safe disposal.

Home to the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant, New Hampshire generated 9.5 million megawatt-hours of nuclear power in 2023, or 56.7% of its total energy production, the largest such share of any state. However, the state also generates over a quarter of its electricity from natural gas and less than 12% from clean, renewable sources, like wind farms and hydroelectric plants.

Largely due to its reliance on nuclear energy, New Hampshire’s power grid generated just 2.5 million metric tons of harmful emissions in 2022, less than any other state except Vermont and Idaho.

This is how New Hampshire generates electricity — and how much pollution its power grid produces. Electricity output is measured in megawatt-hours and harmful gas emissions are measured in metric tons. For context, a single megawatt-hour is enough to power an average American home for just over a month, and a metric ton is equal to about 2,205 pounds. All data is from the EIA.

Why It Matters

Electricity production is one of the heaviest polluting sectors in the United States. As demand for electricity continues to rise, much of the country is transitioning away from fossil fuels and toward clean and renewable energy sources to meet the Biden Administration’s climate change mitigation goals. New Hampshire generates the bulk of its electric power from nuclear reactors, which do not emit harmful gasses. Still, the state relies heavily on natural gas, which, while cleaner than coal, still creates a meaningful amount of harmful greenhouse gasses.

Coal

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 160,140 megawatt-hours
• Coal as share of New Hampshire’s power grid: 0.95% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from coal in 2022: 360,701 metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
• Coal as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in New Hampshire: 14.17%
• New Hampshire’s coal infrastructure in 2023: 4 generators, 2 facilities

Hydroelectric

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 1.6 million megawatt-hours
• Hydroelectric as share of New Hampshire’s power grid: 9.46% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from hydroelectric in 2022: None
• Hydroelectric as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in New Hampshire: 0%
• New Hampshire’s hydroelectric infrastructure in 2023: 87 generators, 32 facilities

Natural gas

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 4.2 million megawatt-hours
• Natural gas as share of New Hampshire’s power grid: 25.11% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from natural gas in 2022: 1.8 million metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
• Natural gas as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in New Hampshire: 69.58%
• New Hampshire’s natural gas infrastructure in 2023: 7 generators, 3 facilities

Nuclear

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 9.5 million megawatt-hours
• Nuclear energy as share of New Hampshire’s power grid: 56.67% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from nuclear energy in 2022: None
• Nuclear energy as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in New Hampshire: 0%
• New Hampshire’s nuclear energy infrastructure in 2023: 1 generator, 1 facility

Petroleum

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 67,959 megawatt-hours
• Petroleum as share of New Hampshire’s power grid: 0.40% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from petroleum in 2022: 324,268 metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
• Petroleum as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in New Hampshire: 12.74%
• New Hampshire’s petroleum infrastructure in 2023: 14 generators, 8 facilities

Pumped storage

• Net-electricity production in 2023: None
• Pumped storage as share of New Hampshire’s power grid: 0% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from pumped storage in 2022: None
• Pumped storage as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in New Hampshire: 0%
• New Hampshire’s pumped storage infrastructure in 2023: None

Solar (thermal and photovoltaic)

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 3,301 megawatt-hours
• Solar as share of New Hampshire’s power grid: 0.02% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from solar in 2022: None
• Solar as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in New Hampshire: 0%
• New Hampshire’s solar infrastructure in 2023: 1 generator, 1 facility

Wind

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 411,344 megawatt-hours
• Wind as share of New Hampshire’s power grid: 2.44% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from wind in 2022: None
• Wind as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in New Hampshire: 0%
• New Hampshire’s wind infrastructure in 2023: 5 generators, 5 facilities

Wood and wood derived fuels

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 641,536 megawatt-hours
• Wood fuels as share of New Hampshire’s power grid: 3.81% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from wood fuels in 2022: 340 metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
• Wood fuels as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in New Hampshire: 0.01%
• New Hampshire’s wood fuels infrastructure in 2023: 7 generators, 7 facilities

Other biomass (incl. agricultural byproducts, landfill gas, and sludge waste)

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 137,596 megawatt-hours
• Other biomass as share of New Hampshire’s power grid: 0.82% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from other biomass in 2022: 462 metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
• Other biomass as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in New Hampshire: 0.02%
• New Hampshire’s other biomass infrastructure in 2023: 10 generators, 4 facilities

Other gasses (incl. propane, blast furnace gas, and waste gas from fossil fuels)

• Net-electricity production in 2023: None
• Other gasses as share of New Hampshire’s power grid: 0% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from other gasses in 2022: None
• Other gasses as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in New Hampshire: 0%
• New Hampshire’s other gasses infrastructure in 2023: None

Other (incl. municipal solid waste, batteries, chemicals, and hydrogen)

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 51,090 megawatt-hours
• All other sources as share of New Hampshire’s power grid: 0.30% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from all other sources in 2022: 88,648 metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
• All other sources as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in New Hampshire: 3.48%
• New Hampshire’s all other sources infrastructure in 2023: 1 generator, 1 facility

All sources

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 16.8 million megawatt-hours
• Harmful gas emissions from all sources in 2022: 2.5 million metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
• New Hampshire’s all sources infrastructure in 2023: 137 generators, 60 facilities

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