mainstream reactor technology still uses basically the least efficient reactor design (PWR) as this was the primary reactor that could produce nuclear capable material - this choice has reverberated over history as the expertise to create these was the only available with little political or material will to create alternative methodologies such as pebble bed or molten salt.

all it takes is literally one country, just one, to bet on weapon free nuclear power and they'd have it paid off so goddamn quickly as the efficiency, reduction in setup cost and increased power efficiency that it would bring is insane.

but no, western governments just dump money into that cold fusion money pit instead of exploring alternatives to uranium. china however is doing both and that's the correct and smart thing to do.