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Ranked: Emissions per Capita of the Top 30 U.S. Investor-Owned Utilities

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The following content is sponsored by the National Public Utilities Council

Emissions per capita

Emissions per Capita of the Top 30 U.S. Investor-Owned Utilities

Approximately 25% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) come from electricity generation.

Subsequently, this means investor-owned utilities (IOUs) will have a crucial role to play around carbon reduction initiatives. This is particularly true for the top 30 IOUs, where almost 75% of utility customers get their electricity from.

This infographic from the National Public Utilities Council ranks the largest IOUs by emissions per capita. By accounting for the varying customer bases they serve, we get a more accurate look at their green energy practices. Here’s how they line up.

Per Capita Rankings

The emissions per capita rankings for the top 30 investor-owned utilities have large disparities from one another.

Totals range from a high of 25.8 tons of CO2 per customer annually to a low of 0.5 tons.

UtilityEmissions Per Capita (CO2 tons per year)Total Emissions (M)
TransAlta25.816.3
Vistra22.497.0
OGE Energy21.518.2
AES Corporation19.849.9
Southern Company18.077.8
Evergy14.623.6
Alliant Energy14.414.1
DTE Energy14.229.0
Berkshire Hathaway Energy14.057.2
Entergy13.840.5
WEC Energy13.522.2
Ameren12.831.6
Xcel Energy11.943.3
Duke Energy11.188.9
Dominion Energy11.037.8
Emera11.016.6
PPL Corporation10.729.6
PNM Resources10.05.3
American Electric Power9.250.9
Consumers Energy8.716.1
NRG Energy8.229.8
Florida Power and Light8.041.0
Portland General Electric7.66.9
Fortis Inc.6.112.6
Avangrid5.111.6
PSEG3.99.0
Exelon3.834.0
Consolidated Edison1.66.3
Pacific Gas and Electric0.52.6
Next Era Energy Resources01.1

PNM Resources data is from 2019, all other data is as of 2020

Let’s start by looking at the higher scoring IOUs.

TransAlta

TransAlta emits 25.8 tons of CO2 emissions per customer, the largest of any utility on a per capita basis. Altogether, the company’s 630,000 customers emit 16.3 million metric tons. On a recent earnings call, its management discussed clear intent to phase out coal and grow their renewables mix by doubling their renewables fleet. And so far it appears they’ve been making good on their promise, having shut down the Canadian Highvale coal mine recently.

Vistra

Vistra had the highest total emissions at 97 million tons of CO2 per year and is almost exclusively a coal and gas generator. However, the company announced plans for 60% reductions in CO2 emissions by 2030 and is striving to be carbon neutral by 2050. As the highest total emitter, this transition would make a noticeable impact on total utility emissions if successful.

Currently, based on their 4.3 million customers, Vistra sees per capita emissions of 22.4 tons a year. The utility is a key electricity provider for Texas, ad here’s how their electricity mix compares to that of the state as a whole:

Energy SourceVistraState of Texas
Gas63%52%
Coal29%15%
Nuclear6%9%
Renewables1%24%
Oil1%0%

Despite their ambitious green energy pledges, for now only 1% of Vistra’s electricity comes from renewables compared to 24% for Texas, where wind energy is prospering.

Based on those scores, the average customer from some of the highest emitting utility groups emit about the same as a customer from each of the bottom seven, who clearly have greener energy practices. Let’s take a closer look at emissions for some of the bottom scoring entities.

Utilities With The Greenest Energy Practices

Groups with the lowest carbon emission scores are in many ways leaders on the path towards a greener future.

Exelon

Exelon emits only 3.8 tons of CO2 emissions per capita annually and is one of the top clean power generators across the Americas. In the last decade they’ve reduced their GHG emissions by 18 million metric tons, and have recently teamed up with the state of Illinois through the Clean Energy Jobs Act. Through this, Exelon will receive $700 million in subsidies as it phases out coal and gas plants to meet 2030 and 2045 targets.

Consolidated Edison

Consolidated Edison serves nearly 4 million customers with a large chunk coming from New York state. Altogether, they emit 1.6 tons of CO2 emissions per capita from their electricity generation.

The utility group is making notable strides towards a sustainable future by expanding its renewable projects and testing higher capacity limits. In addition, they are often praised for their financial management and carry the title of dividend aristocrat, having increased their dividend for 47 years and counting. In fact, this is the longest out of any utility company in the S&P 500.

A Sustainable Tomorrow

Altogether, utilities will have a pivotal role to play in decarbonization efforts. This is particularly true for the top 30 U.S. IOUs, who serve millions of Americans.

Ultimately, this means a unique moment for utilities is emerging. As the transition toward cleaner energy continues and various groups push to achieve their goals, all eyes will be on utilities to deliver.

The National Public Utilities Council is a collaborative body of industry experts coming together to solve decarbonization challenges in the power sector and the proud sponsor of the Decarbonization Channel.

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Energy

Visualized: Offshore Wind Installations by Region (2023–2033)

This streamgraph shows projected offshore wind capacity by region according to The Global Wind Energy Council.

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The preview image for a streamgraph showing projected offshore wind capacity by region according to The Global Wind Energy Council.

Visualized: Offshore Wind Installations by Region (2023–2033)

In order to meet the 1.5°C trajectory outlined in the Paris Agreement, the world will need 380 GW of offshore cumulative wind capacity by 2030, expanding to 2,000 GW by 2050. But can it be achieved?

The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) projects the upcoming offshore wind installations for each region in their Global Offshore Wind Report 2024.

This streamgraph, created in partnership with the National Public Utilities Council, shows the offshore wind installations of each region from 2023–2033, as projected by GWEC.

The Future Projections

The GWEC says that annual offshore wind installations will move from 10.9 GW in 2023 to 66.0 GW by 2033. The growth will elevate offshore wind’s share of new wind power installations from today’s 9% to at least 25%.

In 2033, Europe and China are expected to lead, with 43% and 30% of global installations, respectively. The U.S., despite its ambitious goals, will contribute just 8% of new capacity in the same year.

Here is a regional breakdown of projected future offshore wind installations in GW.

YearEuropeChinaAsia PacificNorth AmericaOther
20233.86.30.8--
20243.7121.10.9-
20255.6151.71-
20268.8152.92.6-
20279.4153.12.6-
202810155.42.4-
202917.2165.82.6-
203022.7167.13.10.4
203127.9188.54.51
203228.21895.51
203328.22010.561.5

Asia Pacific excludes China, Installation estimates in GW

California leads the U.S. efforts, targeting 25.0 GW in cumulative installations by 2045, followed by New Jersey at 11.0 GW. Despite its smaller population, Maryland aims to nearly match New York’s 9.0 GW with a target of 8.5 GW.

The U.S. has already taken strides, bringing online its first utility-scale project, Vineyard Wind 1, which added 0.8 GW to the grid.

With over 25 GW in various stages of development, the Biden administration’s goal is 30 GW by 2030, and has aspirations for 110 GW by 2050. The Inflation Reduction Act, passed under the same administration, previously allocated $392.5 billion in clean energy and climate spending.

The Economic Benefits of Offshore Wind

The American Clean Power Association (ACP) projects that the high scenario of an installation rate of 3 GW per year, with 60% domestic content, could generate $25.0 billion annually and support over 83,000 jobs by 2030.

Recent area lease auctions, such as those in the New York Bight and Carolina Long Bay, have fetched record-breaking bids totalling over $4.3 billion.

Decarbonization requires sustained effort, but with strategic investments and a commitment to innovation, offshore wind could be the wind beneath the wings of a sustainable energy future.

Learn how the National Public Utilities Council is working toward the future of sustainable electricity.

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Energy

Ranked: The Largest Power Outages in the U.S. (2013–2023)

Severe weather caused all ten of the largest U.S. power outages in the past decade, highlighting the importance of grid resiliency.

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the preview image for a polar bar chart that ranks the top ten power outages in the U.S. between 2013 and 2023, ordered by the number of customers affected.

Ranked: The Largest Power Outages in the U.S. (2013–2023)

Power outages—whether due to operational failures, extreme weather, vandalism, or fuel shortages—can have far-reaching impacts on both customers and utility companies.

Created in partnership with The National Public Utilities Council, this graphic shows the 10 largest power outages in the U.S. from the last decade, using data from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). 

A Decade Of Power Disruptions In Review

The U.S. DOE defines a power outage as an event in which electric service is lost to more than 50,000 customers for one hour or more. 

Between 2013 and 2023, all 10 of the largest U.S. outages—ranked by the number of customers affected—have been due to severe weather events. Hurricanes and winter storms, specifically, have caused eight of the 10 outages. 

YearNumber of Customers AffectedEventArea Affected
20173,500,000Hurricane IrmaFlorida
20212,000,000Winter stormTexas
20181,458,000Hurricane FlorenceNorth & South Carolina
20161,200,000Hurricane MatthewFlorida
20201,188,000Tropical Storm IsaiasNew England
20171,077,000Hurricane HarveyTexas
2019972,000WildfiresCalifornia
2013881,000Winter stormTexas
2023730,000Winter stormNew England
2014715,000Winter stormPennsylvania

Hurricane Irma tops this list by leaving 3.5 million Floridians without power in 2017. Irma was a Category 5 hurricane that impacted the Southeastern state and several island nations, leading to more than $50 billion in damages in Florida alone.

While Florida experienced the largest outage between 2013 and 2023, Texas has the most events in the top 10 list. These were caused by a winter storm in 2021, Hurricane Harvey in 2017, and another winter storm in 2013. 

Investing in a Resilient Grid

The causes of the U.S.’s largest outage events highlight the vulnerability of its transmission infrastructure to extreme weather. 

As of 2023, 70% of U.S. transmission lines were over 25 years old. This makes them more susceptible to power outages, cyber-attacks, and sparking wildfires. 

It is also relevant to note that extreme weather events are increasing in both frequency and intensity due to climate change. Addressing infrastructure vulnerability, therefore, may be a critical aspect of maintaining reliable power in the decades to come. 

Learn how the National Public Utilities Council is working toward the future of sustainable electricity.

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