The document discusses the nexus between water and energy. It notes that thermoelectric power plants in western states consumed 292 million gallons of water per day in 2005. Both the energy and water sectors are vulnerable to drought. Drought can force power plant shutdowns and curtailments and increase electricity costs. The document examines water use for different energy technologies and the impacts of drought on energy reliability. It suggests that managing water-related risks will require valuing water resources, recognizing drought risk, and making informed choices about water-efficient energy options.

1. The Energy/Water Nexus
Stacy Tellinghuisen
1

2. 2Western Resource Advocates
Thermoelectric power plants in
Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico,
Nevada, and Utah consumed an
estimated 292 million gallons of
water a day in 2005.
Lake Powell, 2005
(NOAA)
13% of the nation’s
energy use is by the water
sector (The River Network, 2009)

3. 3
Southern Drought May
Shut Down Nuclear
Plants
(2008)
Power plant could get
new Lake Powell
intake pipes (2004)
LES fears the
impact of
drought (2004)
Drought Could Pose
Problems for Texas
Power Plants (2011)
Texas Senate Hears
Warnings on
Drought and
Electricity (2012)
Texas heat
brings power
plants out of
mothballs (2011)
Warm seawater
forces Conn. nuclear
plant shutdown
(2012)
Climate change
challenges power
plant operations
(2012)
Record Heat,
Drought Pose
Problems for U.S.
Electric Power
(2012)
Will the U.S. Face
Blackouts as
Electricity
Generation Suffers
in Drought? (2012)
Prominent News Stories

4. Western Resource Advocates
Climate Change
4
Colorado River Runoff and Demands
5,000,000
7,500,000
10,000,000
12,500,000
15,000,000
17,500,000
20,000,000
22,500,000
25,000,000
1923
1928
1933
1938
1943
1948
1953
1958
1963
1968
1973
1978
1983
1988
1993
1998
2003
Calendar Year
FlowVolume(AF)
10-YEAR RUNNING AVERAGE
BASIN WATER SUPPLY
10-YEAR RUNNING AVERAGE
BASIN WATER USE
Source: Bureau of Reclamation• Current supplies = Current consumption
• Climate change  Reduced supplies

5. Water Use for Energy
– Conventional electricity generation
– Renewables
5

6. Water Use for Energy
Graphics: UCS,
2011.
Freshwater Use
by US Power
Plants:
Electricity’s
Thirst for a
Precious
Resource.

7. Water Intensity of Electricity
7
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
Coal(wet)
Nuclear(wet)
G
as
(steam
,wet)G
as
(CT)
G
as
(CC
,wet)
Coal,IG
CC
Coal,IG
CC
,with
CCS
Coal,PC,w
ith
CC
S
NG
CC,with
C
CSSolarCSP
(wet)
SolarCSP
(dry)SolarPV
W
ind
Biom
ass
(wet)
G
eotherm
al,binary
(dry)
G
eotherm
al,binary
(hybrid)
G
eotherm
al,binary
(wet)
gal/MWh
Conventional
Generation
Emerging
Technologies
Renewables
Coal Nuclear Natural Gas Solar Wind Biomass Geothermal

8. 8
Circle sizes are based on water
use.
Water use is estimated.
Water Use: Power Plants

9. Water Use: Life Cycle Analysis
Meldrum, Nettles-Anderson, Heath, and Macknick. (2013). “Life cycle water
use for electricity generation: A review and harmonization of literature
estimates.” Environmental Research Letters 8: 015031.

10. Water Use: Oil & Gas
1) COGA Fact Sheet: Water Use per Well
Activity Vertical/Directional Horizontal
Drill
Maximum of 600,000 gallons
(1.84 AF)
Hydraulically
Fracture
100,000 – 1,000,000 gallons
(0.31 – 3.1 AF)
2 – 5,000,000 gallons
(6.1 – 15.3 AF)
10
2) Chesapeake
Energy Fact Sheet
3) U.S. EPA Study
Plan
Activity
Denver Julesburg
Basin
Shale Gas Well
Drill
300,000 gallons
(0.92 AF)
NA
Hydraulically
Fracture
4,000,000 gallons
(12.3 AF)
2 – 4,000,000 gallons
(6.1 – 12.3 AF)

11. Water Use: Colorado New Oil & Gas Wells
11
 Range of 22,100 – 39,500 AF/yr
 could serve: 44,200 – 79,000 families
 with reuse: 66,400 – 118,400 families
(166,000 – 296,000 people)
 U.S. Census 2010 populations:
 Fort Collins = 143,986 (4th largest city)
 Lakewood = 142,980 (5th largest city)
 Larimer County = 299,630
 Boulder County = 294,567
 Douglas County = 285,465
 Weld County =252,825
Note: This
refers to
residential
needs only.

12. 12
U.S. Drought Monitor
September 25, 2012
Western Resource Advocates

13. Impacts of Drought
13
 Actual impacts depends on water rights and other factors.
 Technology choices can act as a hedge against drought
NETL: An Analysis of the Effects of Drought Conditions on Electric Power Generation in the Western United States, 2009.
Coal Gas Hydro Renew.
ENS Prices CO2
Emissions

14. Impacts of Drought
Reduced hydroelectric generation.
– May lead to more power purchases, with potentially higher costs for
market purchases and greenhouse gas emissions.
WAPA: SLC Area Projects
-
1,000,000
2,000,000
3,000,000
4,000,000
5,000,000
6,000,000
7,000,000
8,000,000
9,000,000
10,000,000
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
MWh
$-
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
$60
$70
$80
$90
Price($/MWh)
Net generation WAPA Purchases Purchased Power Price

15. Impacts of Drought
1. Texas, 2011 –
• Plants curtailed: 24 MW
• Record low water levels: 11,000 MW
• At risk: 3,000 MW
• Mothballed plants brought online –
470 MW
• Water rights curtailed – 1,200
2. Wyoming (Laramie River Station,
2008) –
• Power plant purchased/leased water
from other users.
15Western Resource Advocates
Photo: Wikipedia
Photo: TX OPUC

16. Impacts on Energy and Reliability
U.S. Department of Energy, 2013. U.S. Energy Sector Vulnerabilities To Climate
Change And Extreme Weather.

17. How can the energy sector manage water-
related risks?
17
1. Information
2. Value water (and other
externalities)
3. Recognize the risk of
drought, and the value of
water-efficient resources as
a hedge

18. Managing Risk - Information
18
• Arizona
– APS - began reporting water use and water
intensity in 2009; evaluates water impacts of
future portfolios
• Colorado
– Utilities report water use, sources, and
water intensity (2011)
– Water (and value of water) was a factor in
the 2010 Clean Air-Clean Jobs hearings at
the CO PUC
• New Mexico
– PNM reports water use for current plants
and future scenarios
Western Resource Advocates

19. 19
Western Resource Advocates

20. 20
Western Resource Advocates
-3,500
-3,000
-2,500
-2,000
-1,500
-1,000
-500
0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
milliongallons Change in Water Use from Previous Year
Due to Clean Energy Events: Mountain
West
Δ due to Mohave
retirement
Δ due to
renewable energy
Δ due to energy
efficiency

21. 21
Energy for Water

22. Energy Intensity of Water
22
Collection,
Extraction &
Conveyance
Water
Treatment
End-use
Agricultural
Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Water
Distribution
Wastewater
Treatment
Wastewater
CollectionDischarge
Recycled Water
Treatment
Recycled Water
Distribution
Source
Source Graphic: Bob Wilkinson, UCSB
Western Resource Advocates
A substantial amount of energy is
used by the end-user, to heat,
cool, and pressurize water.

23. Energy Intensity of Water Supplies
YDP
Central Arizona
Project
GDP
SJ Chama
“Million”
Project
Windy
Gap
Central Utah
Project
SDS
Powell
Pipeline
CA Aqueduct
Carlsbad
Desal.
NISP
Western Resource Advocates
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
D
enver,C
O
Albuquerque,N
M
Phoenix,A
Z
Phoenix,A
Z
(C
AP
)
Tucson,AZ
(C
A
P)
Las
Vegas,N
VC
onservation
R
euse
(St.G
eorge,U
T)
Lake
P
ow
ellPipeline
(U
T)
N
orthern
Integrated
Supply
P
roject(C
O
)
Yam
pa
P
um
pback
P
roject(C
O
)
R
egionalW
atershed
Supply
Project(C
O
)
Southern
D
elivery
S
ystem
(C
O
)
SN
W
A
G
roundw
aterProject(N
V)
Yum
a
D
esalterProject*
(A
Z)
C
arlsbad
D
esalination
kWh/AF
Existing
Supplies
Proposed New Supplies

24. Energy for Water: Winning Strategies
Conservation Programs
SNWA’s “cash for grass” program
saves
– 77,000 AF/yr
– 160,000 MWh/yr
– 86,300 tons CO2/yr
24
Can we do more?
Western Resource Advocates

25. Opportunities
Western Resource Advocates

26. Thank You
www.WesternResourceAdvocates.org
stacy@westernresources.org