Why has nuclear power not been as prevalent as one might think given the potential that this energy source has to produce inexpensive electricity? What events have limited the expansion of nuclear power in the United States?

What will be an ideal response?

An ideal response will:
1, Discuss how costs have exceeded expectations.
2, Describe how major nuclear accidents in the United States and elsewhere have raised concerns among environmentalists as well as the general public about the safety of nuclear power. For example, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and the tsunami that damaged the nuclear reactors in Fukushima, Japan, all have focused attention on the potential dangers of nuclear power.
3, Note that many people are also concerned about the safety in mining, transporting, and using nuclear materials. As is the case with Yucca Mountain, the public does not want spent nuclear fuel stored near their homes or in their states.
4, Indicate that other energy industries have a vested interest in limiting the expansion of nuclear power. For example, the petroleum and natural gas industry, as well as promoters of wind and solar energy, want to limit the competition that the nuclear industry presents.