Impact of future climate variability on ERCOT thermoelectric power generation

Technical Report · Fri Feb 08 04:00:00 EST 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1069222· OSTI ID:1069222

Yan, Y. Eugene ^[1]; Tidwell, Vince C. ^[2]; King, Carey W. ^[3]; Cook, Margaret A. ^[4]

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1. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
2. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
3. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
4. USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States). Environmental Sciences Div.

This report summarizes a study to determine the medium‐term (through the year 2030) impacts of future climate and drought scenarios on electricity generation by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). Because water in reservoirs is used to cool many steam cycle‐based power plants, significantly low water levels can reduce the ability to cool power plants. This reduced cooling ability can come from physical supply limitations or environmental constraints (power plant effluent temperatures exceeding permitted limits).

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Electricity (OE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1069222
• Report Number(s): ANL/EVS/R--13/2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: ENGLISH