Water-Driven Constraints and Adaptations in Coal-Fired Power Plants

Water is a critical resource in the energy industry where 41% of total U.S. water withdrawals are used for thermoelectric power plant operations. Changing water conditions are putting plants at risk for drought, flood, and/or discharge permitting. To evaluate these risks, it is important to understand nuances of individual plants in their design, operational policies and contingency planning. Toward this need, a semi-structured interview approach with plant owners and operators was implemented to obtain this information. We are particularly interested in understanding where power plants get their water, potential restrictions on its use or discharge, and any contingency plans they have developed to deal with water limitations. The collected data, is coded and captured in a database to identify patterns and compare strategies among power plants. Through data analysis, our findings show that while there are geographical differences in water availability, actual constraints faced by plants are both exacerbated and mitigated by engineered, operational activities, and policy constraints. This research has highlighted both vulnerabilities and opportunities for risk mitigations in the coupled human and natural system associated with the water management for energy resources.