"We can't continue to burn coal and have industrial plants that require huge amounts of water." (companies, rating)

[stonecypher5413]

An ominous "canary-in-the-coal-mine" (as it were) sign of the times for the energy industry in Texas and other drought-plagued states:

From Bay City on the Gulf Coast to the West Texas plains, energy companies are facing stiff opposition to proposed power plants that would serve the state's fast-growing population. Groups of ranchers, shrimpers, rice farmers and residents have banded together to oppose the plans.

...The conflicts pit the state's love of growth and energy against growing fears of a parched future, as the drought moves into winter and water resources diminish further. The concerns could pose problems for a state projected to grow 82 percent by 2060.

..."We don't have enough water to go around right now," said Larry Soward, a water expert who formerly served on the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. "As the population grows that demand is far exceeding the supply ... the water is simply not there."

...Most of the new power projects, and the protests, involve coal-fired facilities. At least nine are in planning stages, which would add to the 19 now operating, more than any other state. Only nuclear plants use more water than coal-fired energy production.

Texas drought endangers power projects (http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/news/national/article_888d1bcb-e211-5c65-8e5c-ae83ff1ae09f.html - broken link)

So what should be done here? Residents certainly won't tolerate choosing whether to quench their thirst or turn the lights on.

Companies are still moving ahead with their plans, hoping to buy groundwater from farmers. But what if they can't? What if there's no water to be had, no matter what the price, and millions of new transplants keep pouring into the area?

[lifelongMOgal]

Nuclear power plants require water to cool as well. Sounds like it is time to shut off the spigots to the golf courses and build more desalinization plants.

I know it is not politically correct to suggest; but, if the long term is for drought don't encourage more development. It is completely idiotic to me that people choose to move to places experienceing water shortages. YMMV.

[d4g4m]

I wonder if they also mean the huge amount of water required to make ethanol. You know, the stuff that also consumes 40% of all corn grown in the U.S.