Steam Electric Generation Steam electric generation is one of the major consumers of water in Texas today.
All plants heat very pure water in boilers to produce steam.
The steam drives turbines which generate electricity and must then be cooled and condensed to water before it is reheated to become steam again. Steam-electric power plants must circulate large volumes of water through their condensers to remove waste heat. The water evaporated in this cooling process now accounts for over 90 percent of the water consumed by the electric utility industry. The amount of water consumed at a power plant varies with the type of cooling system employed. Water is simply pumped from lake or river through the condenser cooling tubes and returned to the lake or river 15 to 25 degrees warmer than when it entered.