Thermoelectric Power Water Use
Science Center Objects
Much of the electricity used in the United States and worldwide comes from thermoelectric power plants. This type of production includes fuels such as coal, oil, gas-fired, nuclear, and other lesser-used methods, such as geothermal and burning waste material. Production of electrical power results in one of the largest uses of water in the United States and worldwide. Water for thermoelectric power is used in generating electricity with steam-driven turbine generators.
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Thermoelectric power plant Bowen owned by Georgia Power Company, from Highway 113, Euharlee, Bartow County, Georgia. Plant Bowen is one of the largest coal-fired power plants in the United States. Plant Bowen uses recirculating cooling, decreasing the amount of water that must be withdrawn.
Credit: Alan Cressler, USGS
One of the main uses of water in the power industry is to cool the power-producing equipment. Water used for this purpose does cool the equipment, but at the same time, the hot equipment heats up the cooling water! Overly hot water cannot be released back into the environment—fish downstream from a power plant releasing the hot water would get very upset. So, the used water must first be cooled. One way to do this is to build very large cooling towers and to spray the water inside the towers. Evaporation occurs and water is cooled. That is why large power-production facilities are often located near rivers, lakes, and the ocean.
Thermoelectric-power water withdrawals in the United States
Every five years, water withdrawal and use data at the county level are compiled into a national water-use data system, and state-level data are published in a national circular.
Access the most recent National thermoelectric-power data, maps, and diagrams.
Map of total thermoelectric-power withdrawals, 2015.
Water Use Information by Topic
Water is everywhere, which is fortunate for all of humanity, as water is essential for life. Even though water is not always available in the needed quantity and quality for all people everywhere, people have learned to get and use water for all of their water needs, from drinking, cleaning, irrigating crops, producing electricity, and for just having fun.
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Date published: June 18, 2018Status: CompletedSurface Water Use in the United States
The Nation's surface-water resources—the water in the nation's rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, and reservoirs—are vitally important to our everyday life.
Contacts: Ask USGS -
Date published: June 18, 2018Status: CompletedTrends in Water Use in the United States, 1950 to 2015
How has America's water use changed over the last 65 years? Are we using more or less water, and are there trends for different kinds of water use?
Contacts: Ask USGS -
Date published: June 18, 2018Status: CompletedGroundwater Use in the United States
Groundwater is one of our most valuable resource—even though you probably never see it or even realize it is there. Groundwater is essential for irrigation and human use in many parts of the country. The use of groundwater in the United States in 2015 is described below.
Contacts: Ask USGS -
Date published: June 11, 2018Status: CompletedSaline Water Use in the United States
Do you wear contact lenses? If so, you most likely use a saline water solution to clean them. But what else do we use saline water for and do we really use that much? Read on to learn all about the use of saline water.
Contacts: Ask USGS -
Date published: June 8, 2018Status: CompletedFreshwater Withdrawals in the United States
The freshwater in the Nation's rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, reservoirs, and in underground aquifers are vitally important to our everyday life, and, indeed, to all life on Earth.
Contacts: Ask USGS
A Coal-Fired Thermoelectric Power Plant
Bobov Dol Power Plant is a coal-fired power plant situated in the lands of the village Golemo Selo near the town of Bobov Dol, Kyustendil Province in western Bulgaria. Its chimney is 200 metres tall.
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Salem Nuclear Power Plant
Salem Nuclear Power Plant, New Jersey.
Thermoelectric power plant Bowen owned by Georgia Power Company
Thermoelectric power plant Bowen owned by Georgia Power Company, from Highway 113, Euharlee, Bartow County, Georgia. Plant Bowen is one of the largest coal-fired power plants in the United States. Plant Bowen uses recirculating cooling, decreasing the amount of water that must be withdrawn.
Thermoelectric Power Water Use
The Navajo Generating Station emitting flue gas emissions near Page, Arizona, United States