Coal-fired Power Plants Could Cause Water Scarcity in China

The World Resources Institute reported that more than half of proposed coal-fired power plants in China are set to be constructed in areas of “high or extremely high water stress,” meaning that they could threaten water security for farms, communities and other industries.

As quoted in the market news:

This finding is especially troubling because coal-related industries—mining production, coal-to-chemical, and power generation—are extremely water-intensive. Coal mines depend on water to extract, wash, and process the coal, while coal-burning power plants need water to create steam and cool generating systems. If all of the proposed plants are built, the coal industry – including mining, chemical production, and power generation – could withdraw as much as 10 billion cubic meters of water annually by 2015. That’s more than one-quarter of the water available for withdrawal every year from the Yellow River.

Click here to read the full World Resources Institute report.