Freshwater Use by U.S. Power Plants: Electricity’s Thirst for a Precious Resource

The document presents data on the freshwater requirements of U.S. power plants, highlighting that coal and nuclear power are the primary consumers of freshwater for cooling. It details the distribution of cooling systems across the U.S. and identifies specific watersheds where power plant water use significantly impacts the Water Stress Index (WaSSI).

• Based on 2008 data, coal is the dominant fuel source for both total power generation (49%) and power generation that requires cooling and uses freshwater (59%).
• Coal and nuclear power account for the vast majority of freshwater withdrawal and consumption in the U.S. power sector; coal is responsible for 67% of withdrawals and 65% of consumption, while nuclear power accounts for 27% of withdrawals and 24% of consumption.
• Recirculating cooling systems are the most common cooling type for freshwater-cooled generation both east and west of the Mississippi River, accounting for 29% and 26% of total freshwater-cooled generation respectively.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2011). Freshwater Use by U.S. Power Plants: Electricity’s Thirst for a Precious Resource. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/ew3-freshwater-use-by-us-power-plants_apx-b_pptgraphics.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Freshwater Use by U.S. Power Plants: Electricity’s Thirst for a Precious Resource. 2011. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/ew3-freshwater-use-by-us-power-plants_apx-b_pptgraphics.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Freshwater Use by U.S. Power Plants: Electricity’s Thirst for a Precious Resource |date=2011 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/ew3-freshwater-use-by-us-power-plants_apx-b_pptgraphics.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2011freshwater, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Freshwater Use by U.S. Power Plants: Electricity’s Thirst for a Precious Resource}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2011}, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/ew3-freshwater-use-by-us-power-plants_apx-b_pptgraphics.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }