Does a nuclear plant need to be located near a water supply?

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Cooling water is essential for removing the heat produced by the reactor. A nuclear plant constantly generates heat, and without a reliable way to reject that heat, the reactor could overheat. Most reactor designs use large amounts of water to carry away heat, either circulating in a closed loop or flowing through cooling systems that ultimately dissipate it to a nearby body of water or through cooling towers. Proximity to a dependable water source—such as a river, lake, or ocean—makes cooling more effective and safer, ensuring the plant can reject heat consistently. While dry cooling options exist, they are less common due to cost and efficiency, so being near water is the typical and practical arrangement.