Nuclear energy can be improved in two basic ways. First, nuclear power plant designs known as "high temperature gas cooled" HTGR reactors operate at a much higher temperature than today's light water reactors which increases their efficiency. Several of these reactors have been built in other parts of the world, so the technology is proven. However, the barriers to entry for this kind of reactor are high due to enormous regulatory burden that politicians place on it. Basically, it takes several billion dollars and about 20 years just to get permission to build and then you have to spend another several billion dollars to actually build the plant. That is a ridiculous amount of effort just to build the best available nuclear technology.
That leads to my second point which is to treat nuclear power plants like any other power source such as coal or natural gas or hydroelectric power. No other power source has a dedicated regulatory commission like the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. No other power source is expected to pay for their regulators. Yep, the NRC is funded by fees charged to the companies that run the nuclear power plants. Those NRC inspectors that show up to the plants make $30 to $75 per hour, depending on education and specialty. However, the NRC charges the utilities $250 to $300 per hour for the inspectors to be there.
A large nuclear power plant (Kudankulam) was just placed on-line for the first time in India about two weeks ago to provide desperately needed power for that part of the world. (India routinely suffers brown outs and black outs due to their rapidly expanding electrical needs which overwhelm the existing supply.) That plant cost about $3 billion. In the U.S., that plant would cost $7 to $8 billion solely due to the regulatory burden unfairly placed on this technology.
Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors
there really is little impact on the environment from nuclear energy, compared to any fossil fuel usage. the storage of high level nuclear waste is tightly controlled everywhere in the world. most existing nuc plants are 2nd generation designs. the 3rd and 3rd plus nuc plant designs are simpler, safer, and more efficient than existing designs. basically, nuc plants don,t pollute. coal fired plants are incredibly high sources of air and ground water pollution. even the coal stacks of unburned coal are nasty. the fly ash from coal burning is surprisingly radioactive.
Get rid off nuclear all together.
the only thing that worths to improve...in nuclear bombs..hahahaha
eg making it more efficient, reducing pollution, minimizing the impact of it on the environment
