All the early nuclear programmes were nightmares. Though the UK probably pips the US in screwing up each and every decision.
Let’s build a reactor. Okay - but we don’t know how to cool it. Let’s use air - that’s simple! And we can use graphite as the moderator - oh dear, it’s caught fire.
Take two. This graphite stuff is pretty good, but let’s use carbon dioxide - now it can’t possibly catch fire. Fantastic - how do you do enrichment again? Not a clue - let’s use natural uranium. Best protect it in cladding, this Magnox stuff looks terrific. Tell you what, let’s bring peace to the world by sharing this simple reactor design with the World - like North Korea.
Oh dear. It corrodes in air. And in water. We’d better scale up our reprocessing plants. And reprocess really quickly - yes, just dump everything in the ponds when you’re done.
Still - this plutonium is going to be worth its weight in - ummmm - plutonium when everyone needs fast breeder reactor fuel. What do you mean no one is building fast breeder reactors?
Oh well, we can build an even bigger and more expensive plant to produce plutonium fuel for the Japanese nuclear programme. It’s not like they’re going to close it down overnight are they?
Still if you know anyone in urgent need of 150 tonnes of plutonium, I’m sure the British government (whoever that is today) will love to hear from you.
