The real issue is the risk profile. When you build a new reactor, it's almost certainly going to be safe. But there is a small risk of a catastrophic outcome, w

The real issue is the risk profile. When you build a new reactor, it's almost certainly going to be safe. But there is a small risk of a catastrophic outcome, where most of the damage is local or at most regional. Normally this would be the kind of a situation where insurance is the right solution. But because the potential magnitude of the catastrophe is too great, the insurance sector is incapable of handling it. No one is willing to provide a sufficient insurance policy on a commercial basis. Because the assets of the company operating the reactor are also insufficient in the worst case, that leaves the government as the ultimate insurer. And as with any insurer, they require you to take various steps to mitigate the risks.