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Colbert Fossil Plant Emissions

What TVA is doing about emissions at Colbert

TVA has taken a number of steps to make the efficient generation of power at Colbert as clean as possible:

  • Colbert burns low-sulfur coal to limit emissions of sulfur dioxide.
  • Low-NOx burners limit emissions of nitrogen oxides.
  • In support of environmental agreements, Colbert unit 5 has been idled and will be retired by Dec. 31 2015. Units 1 through 4 will be retired by June 30, 2016.
  • Colbert combustion turbines burn low-emitting natural gas or ultra-low-sulfur fuel oil.

Sulfur dioxide

 
YearCoalCombustion Turbines
1974202192 
1975181048 
1976188832 
1977229074 
1978164437 
1979117248 
1980124846 
1981130734 
1982102504 
1983113368 
1984124344 
1985137546 
1986139555 
1987151407 
1988136808 
1989132398 
199076370 
199170817 
199268599 
199384667 
199472654 
199576907 
199690157 
199778023 
199874262 
199969573 
20007019137
20016300281
2002499605
20035748130
2004334393
2005389394
2006399423
2007333010
2008325742
2009165205
2010231757
2011184837
2012128565
2013131614
20142162710
2015263365
201667036
2017 9
2018 4

View more information on sulfur dioxide and what TVA is doing about it.

Nitrogen oxides

 
YearCoalCombustion Turbines
197427591 
197523327 
197627113 
197732021 
197822749 
197924936 
198029832 
198130229 
198223798 
198326131 
198428192 
198531256 
198631306 
198734738 
198830747 
198930291 
199024485 
199130206 
199223280 
199333457 
199430782 
199516042 
199617711 
199715811 
199816423 
199916423 
200016894477
200114951212
20021529083
20031781232
2004141116
2005163226
2006147227
2007133053
20081306710
200944186
20101004014
2011849117
2012652415
2013684513
2014897125
2015746221
2016197716
2017 49
2018 352

View more information on nitrogen oxides and what TVA is doing about them.

Carbon dioxide

 
YearCoalCombustion Turbines
19958050806 
19968577051 
19977366686 
19987723744 
19997718010 
20008196720150094
2001715504259349
2002724074926442
2003838062519449
200476184502844
200588619973180
200683129263083
20077962886135
200879966751808
20093242688495
201065576992150
201151986455795
201237181023338
201336881053406
201439230396544
201534812646154
20169610134352
2017 14591
2018 59659

View more information on carbon dioxide and what TVA is doing about it.

Toxics Release Inventory

2015 data

All amounts are in pounds

ChemicalAirWaterLandOff-Site DisposalTotal
Hydrochloric Acid (aerosol)1,700,0000001,700,000
Hydrogen Fluoride120,000000120,000
Sulfuric Acid (aerosol)330,000000330,000
Ammonia     
Antimony Compounds     
Arsenic Compounds     
Barium Compounds1,010527435,00097436,634
Beryllium Compounds     
Cadmium Compounds     
Chromium Compounds158127,000527,164
Cobalt Compounds     
Copper Compounds1344,00135,800039,935
Lead Compounds110017,220517,335
Manganese Compounds22736347,300047,890
Mercury Compounds1400590199
Nickel Compounds145324,400024,548
Selenium Compounds     
Silver Compounds     
Thallium Compounds     
Vanadium Compounds21660057,100057,916
Zinc Compounds1,0292,10247,500050,631
Benzo(g,h,i)perylene00000
Naphthalene1000010
Nitrate Compounds     
Dioxin (grams)10001
Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds30306
Hydrazine     
Total2,153,1827,597691,3821072,852,268
      
Gross MWh Generated:2,977,262    
Pounds Released per MWh:0.958    

Gross MWh Generated:3,918,188
Pounds Released per MWh:0.558