Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. was one of about 40 electric utilities to sign voluntary agreements Friday (2/3) with the U.S. Department of Energy to help meet President Clinton's goal of reducing America's greenhouse gas emissions.

The agreements were announced by U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary and utility representatives at a signing ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Each utility has an individual agreement with the government that commits it to take action to reduce, limit or avoid the growth of carbon dioxide emissions or other greenhouse gases.

The utility agreements are part of the country's Climate Challenge program, a partnership of the electric utility industry and the government that supports President Clinton's goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000. About 100 investor-owned utilities have committed to participate in the program. Not all of them announced agreements Friday.

The Climate Challenge program is part of America's effort to support the 1992 United Nations Global Climate Change Treaty that called for the international reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

"This program breaks new ground," said Richard P. Janoso, PP&L's climate challenge issue manager, who signed the agreement for PP&L. "These are cooperative agreements between the federal government and utilities — not mandates — to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Through its agreement, PP&L is playing an important role in helping to achieve a national and international goal."

PP&L's Climate Challenge actions will reduce the regional growth of carbon dioxide emissions by more than two million tons a year by the late 1990s. In total, PP&L estimates about a 12 million ton reduction in regional growth of carbon dioxide emissions during the 10-year Climate Challenge period that runs from 1991 to 2000.

"Most of what we're doing under Climate Challenge we started doing some time ago for other business reasons," Janoso said. "But it was in the development of this agreement with the Department of Energy that we realized just how much of an impact those actions have had on reducing the growth of carbon dioxide emissions."

PP&L burns about 10 million tons of coal a year in its power plants and emits about 28 million tons per year of carbon dioxide. The burning of coal produces carbon dioxide emissions. PP&L's carbon dioxide emissions rate of 1.39 pounds per kilowatt-hour is near the national average for utilities.

Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, act like the glass in a greenhouse, allowing heat from the sun to reach the earth's surface but preventing part of it from being radiated back into space.

Some scientists believe an increase in greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere is contributing to a change in global climate. Other scientists find little evidence that climate changes are occurring.

"Although we don't believe the science is conclusive, PP&L remains very open-minded and responsive to the issue as more research is being done," Janoso said. "As a major user of coal, PP&L is concerned about this issue. We support cost-effective actions to limit carbon dioxide emissions while the research on global warming continues."

PP&L's Climate Challenge commitment consists of taking actions on its own and participating in national and international initiatives coordinated by the Edison Electric Institute, a trade association of investor-owned utilities.

PP&L's primary initiatives include:

• Offsetting Coal-Fired Power: Increasing the power output and operating capacity of both units of PP&L's Susquehanna nuclear power plant and pursuing a plan to burn natural gas at the company's oil-burning units at the Martins Creek power plant. Both actions would offset the use of coal-fired power on the regional power pool.
• Fossil Plant Efficiencies and Emission Control Technology: A continuing program of capital projects and operating improvements to improve the efficiency of all PP&L's fossil-fired generating units, along with its transmission and distribution system. In addition, PP&L has added special burners on coal-fired units that reduce the emission of nitrogen oxide, another greenhouse gas.
• Demand Side Management: Continuing programs to control the demand for electricity, including the use of new electrotechnologies that can benefit electric customers and reduce overall emissions.
• Other Initiatives: PP&L promotes environmental education through its Trees for the Future program that provides about 200,000 tree seedlings a year to students. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, acting as a natural filter in the atmosphere. In addition, PP&L sponsors its own program to promote the regional use of electric vehicles, which would cut down on carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles.

In addition to these PP&L actions, the company will contribute funds to two key EEI programs that study the management of forests to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and promote the use of geothermal heat pumps, which reduce energy demand. PP&L also participates in the industry's Electric Vehicle America program, which supports the development of electric vehicle technology and promotes the use of electric vehicles on a national level.

"This industry-wide program will go a long way to advance the technology and techniques that are needed to further reduce emissions," Janoso said.