Water scarcity as it relates to energy use is becoming a major concern. Cooling water accounts for more than 50% of national water withdrawals in several developed countries (Eurostat 2010), and it is becoming more important as developing countries become more energy-intensive. At a river basin level, dry periods have triggered rolling blackouts, and not just because hydropower plants are forced to operate at dangerously low levels. POWER takes a look at more recent drought-related outages around the world.
–Copy and artwork by Sonal Patel, Senior Writer
