Current nuclear plants produce somewhat more heat (primary energy) than a fossil plant of equal electrical output. The noteworthy advantage is that it doesn't p

Current nuclear plants produce somewhat more heat (primary energy) than a fossil plant of equal electrical output. The noteworthy advantage is that it doesn't produce greenhouse gases. Current radiative forcing induced by anthropogenic CO2 emissions is on the order of 10^15 watts. Current direct thermal output from human combustion of fossil fuels is on the order of 10^13 watts, only 1% as much. That's why CO2 reduction is so important for limiting global temperature rise. Amplifying the warming effects of the sun makes fossil plants warm the globe much more than a nuclear plant that injects somewhat more waste heat into its local environs.