| Table 9.3. Quantity and Net Summer Capacity of Operable Cooling Systems, by Energy Source and |
| Cooling System Type, 2012 - 2022 |
| |
Once-Through Cooling Systems | Recirculating Cooling Systems | Cooling Ponds | Dry Cooling Systems | Hybrid Wet and Dry Cooling Systems | Other Cooling System Types | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Source | Quantity | Associated Net Summer Capacity (MW) | Quantity | Associated Net Summer Capacity (MW) | Quantity | Associated Net Summer Capacity (MW) | Quantity | Associated Net Summer Capacity (MW) | Quantity | Associated Net Summer Capacity (MW) | Quantity | Associated Net Summer Capacity (MW) |
| 2012 | ||||||||||||
| Coal | 372 | 124,589 | 366 | 166,915 | 88 | 39,933 | 4 | 1,412 | 1 | 766 | 15 | 6,918 |
| Natural Gas | 172 | 52,020 | 448 | 92,518 | 55 | 18,573 | 59 | 13,813 | 4 | 637 | 2 | 499 |
| Nuclear | 49 | 51,846 | 38 | 39,561 | 13 | 15,105 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 8 | 8,900 |
| Petroleum | 63 | 15,326 | 17 | 4,046 | 4 | 4,692 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | 2,022 |
| Other | 15 | 1,258 | 27 | 2,167 | -- | -- | 1 | 53 | -- | -- | 2 | 63 |
| 2013 | ||||||||||||
| Coal | 345 | 120,340 | 357 | 164,826 | 77 | 39,482 | 4 | 1,422 | 1 | 750 | 11 | 4,797 |
| Natural Gas | 159 | 51,291 | 428 | 88,707 | 58 | 18,883 | 58 | 12,828 | 4 | 637 | 4 | 2,481 |
| Nuclear | 45 | 50,266 | 38 | 40,013 | 13 | 15,251 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 8 | 11,181 |
| Petroleum | 49 | 11,910 | 11 | 3,481 | 4 | 4,692 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Solar Thermal | -- | -- | 2 | 591 | -- | -- | 4 | 516 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Other | 15 | 1,301 | 31 | 2,561 | 1 | 66 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 128 |
| 2014 | ||||||||||||
| Coal | 328 | 115,930 | 340 | 160,534 | 74 | 38,906 | 4 | 1,422 | 1 | 750 | 22 | 8,322 |
| Natural Gas | 161 | 50,985 | 420 | 84,984 | 56 | 20,294 | 58 | 11,878 | 4 | 637 | 3 | 2,419 |
| Nuclear | 44 | 49,586 | 35 | 37,650 | 13 | 15,237 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 9 | 11,886 |
| Petroleum | 40 | 10,043 | 11 | 3,473 | 4 | 4,691 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Solar Thermal | -- | -- | 4 | 841 | -- | -- | 5 | 900 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Other | 16 | 1,332 | 31 | 2,756 | 1 | 66 | 1 | 72 | -- | -- | 1 | 128 |
| 2015 | ||||||||||||
| Coal | 259 | 93,180 | 313 | 153,917 | 77 | 45,026 | 4 | 1,422 | 1 | 750 | 25 | 9,883 |
| Natural Gas | 160 | 49,219 | 437 | 88,982 | 59 | 22,351 | 59 | 12,038 | 3 | 475 | 3 | 2,410 |
| Nuclear | 43 | 47,268 | 35 | 37,610 | 14 | 17,663 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 9 | 12,062 |
| Petroleum | 27 | 8,254 | 9 | 2,308 | 4 | 4,299 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Solar Thermal | -- | -- | 4 | 866 | -- | -- | 5 | 900 | 1 | 110 | -- | -- |
| Other | 18 | 1,676 | 26 | 2,104 | 1 | 66 | 1 | 72 | -- | -- | 1 | 128 |
| 2016 | ||||||||||||
| Coal | 210 | 82,047 | 294 | 149,187 | 79 | 44,702 | 4 | 1,422 | 1 | 750 | 22 | 10,148 |
| Natural Gas | 168 | 49,664 | 440 | 88,509 | 58 | 21,970 | 64 | 14,128 | 3 | 475 | 3 | 2,359 |
| Nuclear | 42 | 47,029 | 35 | 38,745 | 14 | 17,660 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 9 | 13,298 |
| Petroleum | 25 | 7,771 | 8 | 2,222 | 3 | 3,904 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Solar Thermal | -- | -- | 4 | 866 | -- | -- | 5 | 900 | 1 | 110 | -- | -- |
| Other | 18 | 1,689 | 24 | 2,035 | 1 | 66 | 1 | 72 | -- | -- | 1 | 128 |
| 2017 | ||||||||||||
| Coal | 197 | 76,492 | 281 | 142,578 | 75 | 44,341 | 4 | 1,422 | 1 | 750 | 19 | 9,581 |
| Natural Gas | 172 | 50,053 | 439 | 91,217 | 59 | 21,677 | 66 | 15,271 | 4 | 801 | 6 | 3,772 |
| Nuclear | 42 | 47,013 | 35 | 38,784 | 14 | 17,700 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 9 | 13,298 |
| Petroleum | 26 | 8,174 | 8 | 1,844 | 4 | 3,965 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Solar Thermal | -- | -- | 4 | 866 | -- | -- | 5 | 900 | 1 | 110 | -- | -- |
| Other | 17 | 1,582 | 26 | 2,464 | 2 | 97 | 2 | 245 | -- | -- | 1 | 128 |
| 2018 | ||||||||||||
| Coal | 180 | 70,659 | 273 | 138,632 | 67 | 39,593 | 4 | 1,422 | 1 | 750 | 16 | 8,089 |
| Natural Gas | 161 | 47,653 | 445 | 92,897 | 59 | 21,549 | 77 | 18,613 | 4 | 801 | 7 | 4,478 |
| Nuclear | 41 | 46,723 | 35 | 38,805 | 14 | 17,759 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 9 | 13,608 |
| Petroleum | 27 | 8,575 | 8 | 1,844 | 3 | 2,304 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Solar Thermal | -- | -- | 4 | 866 | -- | -- | 5 | 900 | 1 | 110 | -- | -- |
| Other | 17 | 1,931 | 25 | 2,161 | 1 | 31 | 1 | 72 | -- | -- | 1 | 128 |
| 2019 | ||||||||||||
| Coal | 163 | 67,142 | 246 | 129,998 | 63 | 37,807 | 4 | 1,432 | 1 | 750 | 14 | 7,629 |
| Natural Gas | 150 | 45,079 | 447 | 95,492 | 56 | 21,279 | 78 | 18,769 | 4 | 801 | 7 | 4,058 |
| Nuclear | 40 | 46,244 | 34 | 37,970 | 14 | 17,759 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 10 | 14,927 |
| Petroleum | 26 | 8,147 | 7 | 1,684 | 3 | 2,302 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Solar Thermal | -- | -- | 4 | 866 | -- | -- | 5 | 900 | 1 | 110 | -- | -- |
| Other | 18 | 1,962 | 25 | 2,161 | -- | -- | 1 | 72 | -- | -- | 1 | 128 |
| 2020 | ||||||||||||
| Coal | 143 | 61,538 | 232 | 123,410 | 58 | 35,832 | 5 | 1,536 | 1 | 750 | 13 | 6,703 |
| Natural Gas | 152 | 46,653 | 452 | 96,970 | 56 | 23,018 | 82 | 19,420 | 4 | 801 | 8 | 4,804 |
| Nuclear | 39 | 43,163 | 33 | 37,281 | 14 | 17,855 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 9 | 14,326 |
| Petroleum | 24 | 7,175 | 6 | 898 | 2 | 682 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Solar Thermal | -- | -- | 4 | 866 | -- | -- | 5 | 893 | 1 | 110 | -- | -- |
| Other | 18 | 1,955 | 25 | 2,158 | -- | -- | 1 | 72 | -- | -- | 1 | 128 |
| 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Coal | 130 | 59,230 | 221 | 119,928 | 58 | 35,856 | 5 | 1,536 | 1 | 750 | 14 | 7,992 |
| Natural Gas | 144 | 44,244 | 459 | 100,843 | 52 | 22,762 | 81 | 19,407 | 4 | 801 | 6 | 3,612 |
| Nuclear | 38 | 42,013 | 33 | 37,471 | 14 | 17,862 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 9 | 14,213 |
| Petroleum | 24 | 7,622 | 6 | 898 | 2 | 684 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Solar Thermal | -- | -- | 4 | 866 | -- | -- | 5 | 893 | 1 | 110 | -- | -- |
| Other | 18 | 1,955 | 22 | 2,045 | -- | -- | 1 | 72 | -- | -- | 1 | 128 |
| 2022 | ||||||||||||
| Coal | 105 | 46,596 | 207 | 112,393 | 57 | 35,718 | 4 | 1,432 | 1 | 750 | 11 | 6,581 |
| Natural Gas | 146 | 46,954 | 457 | 102,442 | 52 | 21,970 | 84 | 21,664 | 4 | 801 | 9 | 4,947 |
| Nuclear | 38 | 42,002 | 32 | 36,609 | 14 | 17,847 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 9 | 14,198 |
| Petroleum | 27 | 9,035 | 6 | 1,020 | 1 | 628 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Solar Thermal | -- | -- | 4 | 866 | -- | -- | 5 | 893 | 1 | 110 | -- | -- |
| Other | 15 | 1,760 | 19 | 1,773 | -- | -- | 1 | 72 | -- | -- | 1 | 128 |
| Notes: 'Associated Net Summer Capacity' is defined as the net summer capacity of the generators that are associated with the operation of this environmental equipment. In some cases respondents have reported equipment late. Counts and capacity may have changed from prior publications of this table because of late reporting. Coal includes anthracite, bituminous, subbituminous, lignite, and waste coal; coal synfuel and refined coal; and beginning in 2011, coal-derived synthesis gas. Prior to 2011 coal-derived synthesis gas was included in Other Gases. Petroleum Liquids includes distillate and residual fuel oils, jet fuel, kerosene, waste oil, and beginning in 2011, propane. Prior to 2011 propane was included in Other Gases. Petroleum Coke includes petroleum coke-derived synthesis gas. Prior to 2011, petroleum coke-derived synthesis gas was included in Other Gases. EIA did not collect cooling system data for nuclear units before 2010. Other Energy Sources consists of wood and wood waste products, biomass, blast furnace gas and other gases. Data for 2005 and earlier are based primarily on Form EIA-767 data. In 2006, the Form EIA-767 was suspended. Data for 2007 and later are based primarily on Form EIA-860 data. All data for 2006 are inferred based on submissions from subsequent years. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Forms EIA-767, "Steam-Electric Plant Operation and Design Report" and Form EIA-860, "Annual Electric Generator Report." |