Atomic Shocks of the Old: Putting Water at the Center of Nuclear Energy History

Fig 2.

Landlocked countries like Switzerland relied on inland waterways to cool their nuclear power plants. Nuclear builders exploited the feats of earlier hydraulic engineers—the safety of the Beznau nuclear power plant's water supply hinged on dams and weirs dating from 1898 to 1902, when the Beznau hydroelectric station (near the upper left corner) was constructed. That station also provided a local backup source of electricity, making diesel generators unnecessary. (Photo IAEA.)