Water drought = electricity drought
The Victorian water shortage has been worrying the state’s electricity generators for several months. Coal-fired generators need large amounts of water for cooling. The Latrobe Valley power stations supply 85% of Victoria’s electricity and the water shortage is threatening their ability to generate power. Electricity generators in NSW and Queensland face similar problems.
The hydro-electric schemes in Jindabyne, NSW (in the upper reaches of the Snowy) and in Tasmania are also running seriously short of water, with the Snowy hydro using more power to pump water back into its storage dams than it is generating.
ABC RN – The World Today – 10/5/2007