Timothy H. Diehl Melissa A. Harris 2019 The U.S. Geological Survey has developed models to estimate thermoelectric water use based on linked heat and water budgets. The models produced plant-level withdrawal and consumption estimates using consistent methods for 1,122 water-using, utility-scale thermoelectric power plants in the United States for 2015. Total estimated withdrawal for 2015 was about 103 billion gallons per day (Bgal/d), and total estimated consumption was about 2.7 Bgal/d. Model-estimated withdrawals decreased approximately 26 Bgal/d, or 20 percent, since 2010, and consumption decreased approximately 734 million gallons per day, or 21 percent. The decrease in thermoelectric water use between 2010 and 2015 can be attributed in part to a 7-percent decrease in total thermoelectric utility-scale electricity production, a combination of decreased electricity production and closure of coal-fired plants with once-through cooling systems, and the increase of electricity production at natural gas combined-cycle plants, which are more energy- and water-efficient than conventional thermoelectric plants. application/pdf 10.3133/sir20195103 en U.S. Geological Survey Withdrawal and consumption of water by thermoelectric power plants in the United States, 2015 reports