Expensive in that the policy choice is "we want the worst-case to be affordable", and that this includes not only explosive meltdowns but also international treaties to make sure nobody steals radioisotopes.
More than it needs to be, because anecdotes I've heard about radiation spills include "some liquid was spilled on the tarmac so we had to dig up a long deep trench; the replacement had some granite in and was more radioactive than the stuff it replaced".
I’m going to push back on this and point out that the major difference between expensive and inexpensive power isn’t really safety choices, it’s the ability to mass-produce power generation components. Solar PV is at the far end of the spectrum, since panels are essentially printed in a factory. Late 20th century French nuclear is in the middle, because many nuclear power plants were constructed at the same time using nearly identical specs. Today’s nuclear power is at the opposite end, where virtually every plant is bespoke. Even China hasn’t fully standardized on a single plant that they’re building in huge numbers without customization.
Expensive in that the policy choice is "we want the worst-case to be affordable", and that this includes not only explosive meltdowns but also international treaties to make sure nobody steals radioisotopes.
More than it needs to be, because anecdotes I've heard about radiation spills include "some liquid was spilled on the tarmac so we had to dig up a long deep trench; the replacement had some granite in and was more radioactive than the stuff it replaced".