What would it take to revitalize nuclear power in the United States?

Although nuclear power continues to play an active role in the energy planning of other nations, the U.S. nuclear power industry is dead. Its rebirth will take more than increasing energy supply pressures, public relations, and a little fine tuning. Five basic domestic problems plague the current US nuclear power system: The nation has been building the wrong kind of reactors; has organized and managed reactor construction improperly; has taken the wrong approach to handling radioactive wastes; and has failed to resolve issues that can be solved only through high-level political will and leadership. A critical element that pervades much of the nuclear issue is a failure to treat the public with respect. With a change in philosophy and some bold new programs, these five problems could be resolved domestically. A sixth problem, involving the more effective management of nuclear weapons and their proliferation, will require collective international solutions. This paper examines each of these areas