Published in ERW, 16 Apr 2016
Rising sea levels could put more than 60 US power plants within reach of so-called 100-year floods by the end of the century if the emission of greenhouse gases continues under “business as usual”, according to scientists in Germany and the US.
Robert Bierkandt at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany and colleagues cannot say how many of these power plants are ill-prepared for such a flood, but their study does reveal a potential challenge for those who manage US energy infrastructure.
“Elevation of the mean sea-level enhances the risk of flooding of coastal areas,” said Bierkandt. “Power-plant sites in the US with a total capacity of 25 GW will be pressured additionally by 100-year floods within this century if no adaptation measures are taken.” […]
The rest of this article is published here.