Climate change puts nuclear energy into hot water – International Herald Tribune

Climate change puts nuclear energy into hot water
By James Kanter
Published: May 20, 2007 
 PARIS: Could climate change be the latest jinx on nuclear power?

Long regarded with suspicion because of radioactivity, nuclear power suddenly has a revived image, thanks to the idea that many more plants could be built without worsening global warming. Unlike power plants fired by coal and natural gas, nuclear fission produces no carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas.

But there is a less well-known side of nuclear power: It requires great amounts of cool water to keep reactors operating at safe temperatures. That is worrying if the rivers and reservoirs which many power plants