[Overtonwindow]

As a former government bureaucrat, the reason why it takes such a long time to come online is because of bureaucratic red tape. The anti-nuclear side of the debate uses these regulatory hurdles to essentially halt any nuclear progress.

[slyall]

Hence there isn't really much point trying to build anything until the regulations are "fixed".

Since costs are rising in (just about) all countries I suspect regulations are not the sole cause of the problem.

[vfclists]

Regulations are the sole cause of the problem, especially in the US.

[slyall]

Study identifies reasons for soaring nuclear plant cost overruns in the U.S.

"The authors also found that while changes in safety regulations could account for some of the excess costs, that was only one of numerous factors contributing to the overages."

"Many of the excess costs were associated with delays caused by the need to make last-minute design changes based on particular conditions at the construction site or other local circumstances, so if more components of the plant, or even the entire plant, could be built offsite under controlled factory conditions, such extra costs could be substantially cut."

https://news.mit.edu/2020/reasons-nuclear-overruns-1118

[Overtonwindow]

If you want a more local example, the same type of bureaucracy that stops nuclear reactors is the same one that stops multi-dwelling units in California.

Fixing the regulations is nearly impossible. So much of alternative energy projects, nay ALL natural resource projects, are hindered by frivolous "environmental justice" lawsuits, regulatory demands, and outsiders with personal agendas; such as people lobbying to stop a solar farm in a place they don't even live or have any financial stake in, simply because they disagree with solar energy.

Regulatory burden is IMO the single greatest impediment to American environmental, energy, and manufacturing progress. It's simply not worth it anymore for developers given how heavily the system is unfairly tilted against them.