Comment Re:But the real cost is increased service prices (Score 1) 72
Nuclear reactors use most surface water, not ground water.
Datacentres are no pickier. You can even cool a datacentre with saltwater, you just need a heat exchanger.
Also, closed loop does not evaporate. The loop is not closed if stuff escapes from it.
You're arguing with the actual terminology used in the nuclear industry. "Closed loop" or "closed cycle" designs have the water pumped in a cycle through cooling towers. The towers lose water to evaporation, taking heat with them, but the rest of the water is returned to be reheated again. "Open loop" or "open cycle" designs have no cooling towers. The water is heated and just discharged hot. They consume much more water (over an order of magnitude more), but most of that is returned. Closed loop are more common, but you see open loop in some older designs, and in seawater-cooled reactors.