Water an issue for Duke nuclear plant

GAFFNEY — Water might be the biggest obstacle to Duke Energy's plan to build a new nuclear power plant in South Carolina.

The facility near Gaffney would be Duke's first nuclear power plant in 20 years and its first not built on a large reservoir.

The company plans to draw about 50 million gallons of water a day from the Broad River. About 15 million gallons would be returned to the river, while the remainder would evaporate from the plant's cooling towers.

Opponents of the plant say the river can't give up that much water, but Duke and South Carolina officials say it can except during a severe drought.

The North Carolina-based utility says the plant will help supply electricity to as many as 60,000 new customers each year in the Carolinas.