HYDROTHERMAL f . In energy generation: which is obtained by lowering the temperature of a body, from a cold spring and a hot one. Hydrothermal power plants use hot water from the sea surface and cold water from the bottom. As the surface water is not hot enough, style chloride, of low boiling temperature, is used to vaporize it, and with it drive a turboalternator, as is the case with thermoelectric power plants.