ENERGY INFORMATION

ADMINISTRATION

USGS

COMPILATION

AND

Circular 1405
CONDENSER 

DUTY

4100 Btu

0.47 gallons per kWh
ENERGY INFORMATION USGS MODEL

ADMINISTRATION

USGS

COMPILATION

AND AND

SIR 2014-5184 Circular 1405
• Better understand the uncertainties in 

thermoelectric withdrawal data
• Better understand the uncertainties in 

thermoelectric withdrawal data

• Improve the usefulness of thermoelectric 

water-use information
NATIONAL TOTALS
2010 Model-estimated Withdrawal Versus 

Withdrawal Reported to EIA and the USGS Compilation

100

Withdrawal, BGD

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation

2010 National Total Thermoelectric Withdrawals
2010 Model-estimated Withdrawal Versus 

Withdrawal Reported to EIA and the USGS Compilation

30 BGD

UNCERTAINTY

Withdrawal, BGD

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation

2010 National Total Thermoelectric Withdrawals
Withdrawal, BGD

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation

200

Subset of 754 Plants in All Three Federal Datasets
Withdrawal, BGD

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

200

USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation

Subset of 754 Plants in All Three Federal Datasets
Withdrawal, MGD

2000

1500

1000

500

0

2500

Nuclear Power Plant, Once-through Saline Cooling

USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation
Withdrawal, MGD

2000

1500

1000

500

0

2500

Nuclear Power Plant, Once-through Saline Cooling

Lowest USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation
Withdrawal, MGD

2000

1500

1000

500

0

2500

Withdrawal in Common 

Nuclear Power Plant, Once-through Saline Cooling

Lowest USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation
Withdrawal, MGD

Nuclear Power Plant, Once-through Saline Cooling

2000

1500

1000

500

0

2500

Lowest USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation Highest
Withdrawal, MGD

Nuclear Power Plant, Once-through Saline Cooling

2000

1500

1000

500

0

2500

UNCERTAINTY

700 MGD

Lowest USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation Highest
Withdrawal, BGD

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

200

USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation

Subset of 754 Plants in All Three Federal Datasets
Withdrawal, BGD

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

200

Sum of Lowest USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation

Subset of 754 Plants in All Three Federal Datasets
Withdrawal, BGD

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

200

Withdrawal in Common = 92 BGD 

Sum of Lowest USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation

Subset of 754 Plants in All Three Federal Datasets
Withdrawal, BGD

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

200

Sum of Lowest USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation Sum of Highest

Subset of 754 Plants in All Three Federal Datasets
Withdrawal, BGD

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

200

196 BGD

92 BGD

UNCERTAINTY

104 BGD

Sum of Lowest USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation Sum of Highest

Subset of 754 Plants in All Three Federal Datasets
PLANT-LEVEL COMPARISONS
Complex Cooling

Once-through Fresh

Once-through Saline

Recirculating Pond

Tower

EIA withdrawal, MGD

USGS Model withdrawal, MGD
Complex Cooling

Once-through Fresh

Once-through Saline

Recirculating Pond

Tower

EIA withdrawal, MGD

USGS Model withdrawal, MGD
Complex Cooling

Once-through Fresh

Once-through Saline

Recirculating Pond

Tower

EIA withdrawal, MGD

USGS Model withdrawal, MGD
Complex Cooling

Once-through Fresh

Once-through Saline

Recirculating Pond

Tower

EIA withdrawal, MGD

USGS Model withdrawal, MGD
Complex Cooling

Once-through Fresh

Once-through Saline

Recirculating Pond

Tower

EIA withdrawal, MGD

USGS Model withdrawal, MGD
Complex Cooling

Once-through Fresh

Once-through Saline

Recirculating Pond

Tower

EIA withdrawal, MGD

USGS Model withdrawal, MGD

Model 2x

or greater

than EIA
Complex Cooling

Once-through Fresh

Once-through Saline

Recirculating Pond

Tower

EIA withdrawal, MGD

USGS Model withdrawal, MGD

EIA 2x or greater

than Model
Complex Cooling

Once-through Fresh

Once-through Saline

Recirculating Pond

Tower

EIA withdrawal, MGD

USGS Model withdrawal, MGD
HIGH

IN RANGE

LOW

EIA withdrawal, MGD

USGS Model withdrawal, MGD
53%

12%

HIGH

IN RANGE

LOW

EIA withdrawal, MGD

USGS Model withdrawal, MGD
Complex Cooling

Once-through Fresh

Once-through Saline

Recirculating Pond

Tower

USGS Compilation withdrawal, MGD

USGS Model withdrawal, MGD
72% 17%

HIGH

IN RANGE

LOW

USGS Compilation withdrawal, MGD

USGS Model withdrawal, MGD
0.11

10

100

1000

10000

0.11 10 100 1000 10000

EIA withdrawal, MGD

USGS Compilation withdrawal, MGD
COEFFICIENTS COMPARISON
Complex Cooling

Once-through Fresh

Once-through Saline

Recirculating Pond

Tower

EIA withdrawal coefficient, gal/kWh

Model withdrawal coefficient, gal/kWh
Complex Cooling

Once-through Fresh

Once-through Saline

Recirculating Pond

Tower

Compilation withdrawal coefficient, gal/kWh

Model withdrawal coefficient, gal/kWh
Complex Cooling

Once-through Fresh

Once-through Saline

Recirculating Pond

Tower

EIA withdrawal coefficient, gal/kWh

Compilation withdrawal coefficient, gal/kWh
2015 – VERY BRIEFLY
0.01

0.1

1

10

100

1000

10000

0.01 0.10 1.00 10.00 100.00 1000.00 10000.00

USGS-calculated EIA annual withdrawal in million gallons per 

day (MGD)

USGS Model-estimated withdrawal in million gallons per day (MGD)

HIGH

IN RANGE

LOW

EIA withdrawal, MGD

USGS Model withdrawal, MGD

76%

15%
 -

 20

 40

 60

 80

 100

 120

 140

 160

 180

model EIA Compilation

Withdrawal, BGD

USGS Model EIA USGS Compilation

2010 vs 2015 National Total Thermoelectric Withdrawals

2010

2010

2010

2015

2015

2015
Considerations

• Withdrawal data vary widely among the datasets
Considerations

• Withdrawal data vary widely among the datasets

– Many plants have three different values 
Considerations

• Withdrawal data vary widely among the datasets

– Many plants have three different values 

– Federal and State data vary widely at individual plants
Considerations

• Withdrawal data vary widely among the datasets

– Many plants have three different values 

– Federal and State data vary widely at individual plants

• What next? What changes might be made?
Considerations

• Withdrawal data vary widely among the datasets

– Many plants have three different values 

– Federal and State data vary widely at individual plants

• What next? What changes might be made?

– Best practices for measuring and reporting?
Considerations

• Withdrawal data vary widely among the datasets

– Many plants have three different values 

– Federal and State data vary widely at individual plants

• What next? What changes might be made?

– Best practices for measuring and reporting?

– Consensus definitions, methods across agencies?
Considerations

• Withdrawal data vary widely among the datasets

– Many plants have three different values 

– Federal and State data vary widely at individual plants

• What next? What changes might be made?

– Best practices for measuring and reporting?

– Consensus definitions, methods across agencies?

• Easy to identify, hard to realize
Considerations

• Withdrawal data vary widely among the datasets

– Many plants have three different values 

– Federal and State data vary widely at individual plants

• What next? What changes might be made?

– Best practices for measuring and reporting?

– Consensus definitions, methods across agencies?

• Easy to identify, hard to realize

• Thoughts on improving data quality
Questions?

mharris@usgs.gov

Harris, M.A., and Diehl, T.H., 2017. A Comparison of Three Federal 

Datasets for Thermoelectric Water Withdrawals in the United States for 

2010. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1-19, 

https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12551

Harris, M.A., and Diehl, T.H., 2017, Thermoelectric power plant water 

withdrawals and associated attributes for three Federal datasets in the 

United States, 2010: U.S. Geological Survey data release,

https://doi.org/10.5066/F7HX19VW