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First:Utility The fuel mix for the year 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 is shown below.
Fuel Mix |
| |
First:Utility |
UK average |
coal |
28.6% |
32.9% |
natural gas |
37.7% |
43.3% |
nuclear |
28.1% |
15.3% |
renewable |
2.1% |
5.9% |
other |
3.5% |
2.5% |
 |
CO2 emissions* |
0.417 |
0.460 |
nuclear waste** |
0.0025 |
0.0015 |
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Notes:
Began trading in 2009 so these figures are based on current supply mix.
*CO2 emissions
are in kg/kWh; **nuclear waste relates to high-level waste in g/kWh.
Find out about
switching to green electricity.
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Other impacts
Coal power plants also emit sulphur dioxide which leads
to acid rain, as well as other pollutants.
Note that the figures for carbon dioxide emissions
are for emissions directly related to electricity generation and take
no account of lifecycle emissions.
For nuclear power in particular there are carbon dioxide emissions related to
construction and the mining and processing of the uranium fuel.
The nuclear waste figure does not include intermediate and low-level nuclear
waste.
Though
less radioactive, these lower level wastes are created in much larger volumes,
are still dangerous, and represent a disposal problem.
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