India's 90% thermal plants rely on freshwater

India’s thermal power plants are the mainstay for meeting the demand for electricity in the country. Ninety per cent of the thermal power plants depend on fresh water for cooling and 40 per cent of these plants experience high water stress, says the World Resourcew Institite (WRI). The global research organisation asked Indian Ministry of Power to mandate that power plants start monitoring and disclosing water withdrawal and discharge data. Scarcity of water are denting the thermal capacity of the nation, according to a WRI report. The thermal power sector has been suffering from water shortages, losing a substantial part of its generation growth every year since 2013. Most of the country's existing plants are likely to experience an increased level of water competition by 2030. Fourteen of the top 20 largest thermal power utility companies have experienced water shortage-related disruptions at least once between 2013 and 2016, losing more than $1.4 billion in total potential revenue.