Thermal power plants release residual heat. If they use river water, the temperature increase can affect dissolved oxygen, aquatic species, and ecological limits. For this reason, authorisations, thermal limits, monitoring, and sometimes power reductions exist during periods of drought or extreme heat. The problem is not exclusive to nuclear but concerns all large thermal plants.
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35.
Do nuclear power plants warm rivers and damage ecosystems?
It can happen if cooling is poorly managed; it is not inevitable.
