Simple solution: Build nuclear reactors only on the coast, where they can also more easily power desalinization as well. The excessive prices right now are 100% due to the river problem. You have not proven that nuclear reactors have higher prices due to maintenance costs alone; to do that, you would have to compare prices not as they are right now (being heavily influenced by river water drought), but that they were excessive last winter or any non -drought period before that. And it would have to be comparative with other power sources over the entire lifecycle of compared power sources