The timeline is unique to the US and the NRC. China can and has recently constructed plants in very short build timelines (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ningde_

The timeline is unique to the US and the NRC. China can and has recently constructed plants in very short build timelines (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ningde_Nuclear_Power_Plant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ningde_Nuclear_Power_Plant, for example has had many installations over not that much time). Vogtle-3 and 4 are the first nuclear reactors to come into commercial market in like 20-30 years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vogtle_Electric_Generating_Plant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vogtle_Electric_Generating_Pla..., permits started in 2008 and finally operation will happen this year. Westinghouse, the designer, went bankrupt in 2017 and the utility was given at least $12bn in _federal_ loan guarantees to help the reactors be completed. These two units cost $15bn each. A lot of operators blame construction timelines on community comment periods, though I suspect that like every other large capital investment in the US, the timelines are extended by mistakes, regulatory oversight / indecisiveness and some misaligned incentives of the government, construction companies and utilities.