This book focuses on engineering fundamentals of water use for cooling needs of thermoelectric, or steam cycle, power plants, along with environmental and economic contexts. Water has historically been abundant and cheap; however, the ever-growing human demands for fresh surface water and groundwater are potentially putting ecosystems at risk. Water demands for energy production and electric generation power plants are part of total water demand.

This book contributes important information to aid a broader discussion of integrated water and energy management by providing background, references, and context for water and energy stakeholders specifically on the topic of water for cooling thermal power plants. This book serves as a reference and source of information to power plant owner/operators, water resource managers, energy and environmental regulators, and non-governmental organizations.

From power plant owners wanting to know the tradeoffs in environmental impact and economics of cooling towers to water utilities that might want to deliver waste water for reuse for power plant cooling, this book provides a wide array of regulatory and technical discussion to meet the needs of a broad audience.