Thermoelectric Power Plants Vulnerable to Climate Change

The capacity of thermoelectric power plants will decrease in summer by up to 16 percent in the U.S. by 2060, according to a new study in Nature Climate Change. Thermoelectric power plants, which account for 91 percent of total electricity in the U.S. and include coal, gas, and nuclear plants, depend on the availability and temperature of water resources used for cooling. Using models of electricity production, hydrological flows, and water temperatures, the authors show that thermoelectric power in the U.S. and Europe is vulnerable to climate change through lower summer river flows and higher river water temperatures.