Double-edged drought

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/2007/11/19/droughted_1120.html

Double-edged drought

Since power plants use so much water, Georgia must push energy efficiency

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 11/20/07

Flicking a light switch or turning on the bathroom faucet are daily routines that most Georgians perform without a second thought. But this year's drought is making clear the inextricable relationship between water usage and energy consumption, and why it's so important.

Georgia, like every other state, gets most of its electricity from coal-fired and nuclear power plants that require massive amounts of water to prevent them from overheating.

Most of those plants are owned and operated by Southern Company, an Atlanta-based holding company. In addition to Georgia Power, which is the state's largest utility, Southern Company has subsidiaries in Florida and Alabama, where state officials have been feuding with Gov. Sonny Perdue over water.

The company's power plants draw water — averaging about 3.3 billion gallons a day in 2000 — from Georgia rivers including the Chattahoochee, which is also the principal source of drinking water for millions of homes and businesses. The total amount of water withdrawn for electricity generation comprises more than half of the surface and ground water usage for the entire state.

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[Massacure]

1. Doesn't most of this water go back into the river, just a little warmer though?

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. Sort of...

...

Utility officials contend they've been responsible stewards of the state's liquid resources. In older plants, they say, water is returned directly to the Chattahoochee and elsewhere, while newer plants are designed to use less water throughout the process.

But the facts are somewhat different. Regardless of the technology used, a considerable amount of water is lost either through evaporation or leakage. In both cases, the water returned to the watershed by power plants isn't always available when and where it's needed most.

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[napi21]

3. That article is correct and I guess I'm a power abuser because

I keep my computer on all the time and also am tuned to CNN or MSNBC on the TV. Other than that, there's only 2 of us in the house, and I use very little electricity. I realize the AJC was only pointing out the truth, but that same is true for everyone everywhere.

I believe the real problem in Ga. is that the gov't ok'd lots of growth, without spending any money on more reservoirs to supply the water necessary to support that growth! Even with all the problems with the water now, there's a mew shopping center opening about 3 miles from my house. Ga. as well as many other places put growth ahead of reality planning. They weren't willing to spent a penny on building reservoirs to support that growth, and now they're crying!

[philb]

4. More reservoirs would not help; only make less water available downstream

There is a finite amount of river water and ground water in any area.
Are you suggesting bringing in water from other areas to the Atlanta area.
Wouldn't that start a real war?

[philb]

5. According to meteorologists, this years La Nina conditions will make drought worse in SouthEast

dry conditions in southeast during La Nina events imply major problems for the SE,
similar to the 7 year drought in western states causing water wars there.
But the midwest and Great Lakes have major problems as well, and
likewise water woes worldwide.