Power plants that burn coal and other fossil fuels generate more pollutants during drought conditions Shutterstock/James Marvin Phelps
Water levels at reservoirs in the western US have hit record lows, diminishing the amount of energy generated at dams. Fossil fuel power plants are filling the gap – leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution during the region’s megadrought.
On average, about 26 per cent of the electricity for the western US comes from hydropower and 50 per cent comes from fossil fuel plants burning gas, coal or oil. The rest …
