The Nuclear-Water Nexus

An edited collection that takes a deep dive into the complex interactions between nuclear energy and water. Splitting atoms is a water-intensive business. To operate efficiently and safely, a standard nuclear reactor needs around 50 cubic meters (13,000 gallons) of water per second—equivalent to the flow of a mid-sized river or large irrigation canal. In The Nuclear-Water Nexus, Per Högselius and Siegfried Evens bring together 25 authors from 12 countries to explore the resulting entanglements between society, technology, and nature, to show how nuclear energy’s dependence on water has shaped the atomic age in decisive ways. Water has been the key factor in forging a global nuclear geography, as the water needs of nuclear facilities require them to be located near the sea, major rivers, canals, or lakes. As an unintended consequence of such locations, nuclear facilities have become vulnerable to droughts, floods, erosion, and climate