Toxics Release Inventory

The Environmental Protection Agency requires industries, manufacturing facilities, and utilities to report on the release of any of 650 chemicals it defines as potentially hazardous to human health. This collection of data is called the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI).

TVA files annual reports on the amounts of TRI chemicals released by its fossil-fuel plants (those that burn coal or oil). Only 26 substances on the list are emitted by TVA plants in quantities large enough to require reporting.

The TRI doesn’t include sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which all fossil plants emit and monitor routinely. Since 1977, TVA has reduced its sulfur dioxide emissions by 90 percent and nitrogen oxide emissions have been reduced by about 89 percent since 1995.

As a federal agency TVA must report TRI releases from all of its operations, not just its fossil plants. Although the amounts are small, the emissions numbers TVA submits are comprehensive and include substances that might be used for cleaning or maintenance activities at any TVA facilities, including nuclear or hydro plants. Only federal facilities must include all of their operations other than just coal- or oil-burning plants. Private utilities are not covered under this requirement.

Inhalation health-risk assessments performed at all TVA fossil plants show no significant health risks to employees or members of the public from the release of any of the chemicals in the TRI.

For more information about the Toxics Release Inventory, including reporting requirements and a list of the chemicals reported on by TVA, see Frequently Asked Questions.

In fiscal year 2010, TVA’s fossil plants produced 83.3 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. TVA has spent more than $5.3 billion to reduce its air emissions. TVA is in compliance with federal and state regulations governing air, land, and water releases.

TVA’s total fossil plant TRI releases for 2010 were 43,018,633 pounds, a 20 percent increase from 2009. The 2010 increase was due to

the trasfer of ash to off site storage facilities
more coal was used to generate electricity

2010 data for all coal-burning plants

All amounts are in pounds

Chemical	Air	Water	Land	Off-Site Disposal	Total
Hydrochloric Acid (aerosol)	5,670,000	0	0	0	5,670,000
Hydrogen Fluoride	1,887,000	0	0	0	1,887,000
Sulfuric Acid (aerosol)	12,056,404	0	0	0	12,056,404
Ammonia	1,189,034	24,011	0	0	1,213,045
Antimony Compounds	192	520	26,660	0	27,372
Arsenic Compounds	3,063	2,952	243,300	4	249,319
Barium Compounds	33,539	134,699	7,702,000	6,610,130	14,480,368
Beryllium Compounds	260	4	32,575	0	32,839
Cadmium Compounds	0	0	0	0	0
Chromium Compounds	4,674	3,911	419,420	154,012	582,017
Cobalt Compounds	520	0	39,550	0	40,070
Copper Compounds	3,546	52,551	474,817	227,000	757,914
Lead Compounds	4,923	29	355,914	111,278	472,144
Manganese Compounds	7,974	13,114	970,100	361,000	1,352,188
Mercury Compounds	1,836	86	1,574	333	3,829
Nickel Compounds	4,547	6,702	389,300	120,000	520,549
Selenium Compounds	4,502	8,019	18,450	1	30,972
Silver Compounds	0	0	0	0	0
Thallium Compounds	95	1,201	115,800	0	117,096
Vanadium Compounds	6,363	29,520	918,000	340,059	1,293,942
Zinc Compounds	18,660	26,732	1,108,193	324,000	1,477,585
Benzo(g,h,i)perylene	1	0	3	1	5
Naphthalene	395	0	0	0	395
Nitrate Compounds	0	753,000	0	0	753,000
Dioxin (grams)	16	0	0	0	16
Dioxin (lbs)	0	0	0	0	0
Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds	253	0	289	38	580
Hydrazine	0	0	0	0	0
Total	20,897,782	1,057,050	12,815,945	8,247,856	43,018,633

Gross MWh generated:	83,334,766
Pounds released per MWh:	0.516

To view TRI data for each TVA fossil plant, choose a plant from the Emissions Data menu at top right.

Emissions Data

For data on emissions at each of TVA’s fossil plants, choose from the menu below.

General Information

For general information on individual emissions choose from the menu below.