Rivers are Being Stressed by Electricity Production

By B. McPherson


The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has released a report on water usage by power plants in the US.

The picture they have painted is grim. If power plants are not made more efficient or alternate forms of electrical production are used, the choice between living rivers and electricity will have to be made soon. While conventional power generating plants return the bulk of cooling water to the rivers they use, the water temperature is elevated. The scientists found in some cases that water was hot enough to parboil the critters living in the river.

“The report also showed that power plants are stressing water bodies by discharging water at temperatures harmful to fish and other wildlife. In 2008, 350 power plants across the country reported discharging water at temperatures of over 90 degrees Fahrenheit and some at temperatures over 110 degrees, according to the report.” Union of Concerned Scientists
Some areas of the US endured a lengthy drought this year, Texas being notable for its record setting high temperatures. Water volumes in rivers drop as rainfall patterns change. Power plant operators will have to choose between decreasing energy production and killing off the river.

Some water used for cooling is lost to evaporation. Nuclear power stations return a much lower, heated volume of water because much more water is converted to steam and lost into the atmosphere.

As populations increase, they demand more of everything: clean drinking water, energy, food. These take water.  Some hard decisions will have to be faced in the short term if there is to be enough for people’s needs as well as the environment’s, especially in the light of growing evidence of climate warming and increasing drought conditions.

Currently nations are meeting in Durban South Africa to discuss climate change, climate warming and the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide that appears to be pushing the changes. Those that are following the conference are increasingly gloomy about the chances of any real changes.

The report: Freshwater Use by U.S. Power Plants: Electricity’sThirst for a Precious Resource  
Location: United States

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Abandoned Oil Pipelines What Lurks Below?

Image
These photos were taken July 2012 in the historic Turner Valley, Alberta B. McPherson Controversy over new oil pipelines is reaching boiling point in many circles. Heated debate is taking place over the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway and Keystone Pipeline proposals. Safety, disruption to landowners  and more are being weighed against the money to be made transporting and selling petroleum products. It got me thinking about the old pipelines. What happens to a pipeline when it is too old to use or not needed? It’s a bit of an Alice in Wonderland scene. The US laws and regulations are different from ours in Canada. The Pipeline and Gas Journal is a source of information about abandoned pipelines in Texas. Apparently a pipeline in Texas may be abandoned by a company, but it still retains ownership and may choose to reactivate the line at a later date. In the meantime, the right of way or easement is no longer maintained, but the through which the pipe extends is not free
Read more

Prince Rupert Says No to Enbridge Pipeline

Image
B. McPherson Prince Rupert city council joined a growing list of BC coastal communities that are saying “No” to the Enbridge proposal to build a twinned pipeline from Edmonton to the coast. The decision of the Prince Rupert city politicians was unanimous. Already the village of Kitimaat, Terrace and the Skeena Queen Charlottes Regional District have voiced their opposition to the project. There are ongoing hearings by a federal court appointed Joint Review Panel which are gathering input from interested parties about the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline which would bring crude petroleum from the oil sands of Alberta to the coast of British Columbia. The proposal would see a twinned pipeline run over the Rocky Mountains and through wilderness to the treacherous west coast. The proposed terminus at Kitimat would require tankers to wend their way through the maze of islands and reefs to load up at the head of Douglas Channel. While the hearings and the finding
Read more

Efficient Rail Transport May Make Pipelines Obsolete

Image
B. McPherson What happens to all the abandoned pipelines? Oil pipelines have huge direct costs to build, but they also have many hidden costs. In spite of dire warnings by environmentalist the world is demanding ever greater supplies of the black gold. For those countries that have it and market it successfully, money comes rolling in. But at what cost? An oil pipeline is a hugely complex thing. Enbridge Corp. has been battling citizens in British Columbia over its proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline and the Keystone Pipeline in the US has been stalled for months. When Big Oil needs to transport oil or bitumen to refineries, it usually gets a smooth ride to approval. Labelling energy security as a national priority, property rights are infringed upon. People in Canada cannot legally stop the installation of a pipeline across their property. The high pressure conduit is often buried only a few feet below the surface leaving crops, buildings and livestock vulnerable to a
Read more