Nuclear Power: The Short-Term Answer to Global Warming?

Here's a New York Times article about the latest models of nuclear reactors. There hasn't been one built in the US since 1973, so the new models are much safer, more efficient, etc. Four major electric companies are strongly moving towards giving the go-ahead.

UK scientist James Lovelock -- who created the Gaia hypothesis beloved of environmentalists -- created a major stir last year when he said nuclear power was by far the best immediate answer to global climate change. In short, Lovelock said the greenhouse effect and global climate change are at a crisis point, creating huge changes in the environment and our world and action must be taken immediately. He says environmentally that nuclear power is much preferable to coal-burning plants and other energy sources that contribute to global climate change. (Having China depend on Western-built modern nuclear power plants could dramatically reduce future problems all on its own.)

The US might be committing to its first new plant in three decades. What say you? Is this terrible? Smart? Dangerous? Green?