“what ever happened to small local thorium reactors?”
Not my line of work, but looked to be a good idea, pre 911.
Sadly, primitive peoples possibly creating mass destruction appear to have put the kibosh on it.
https://www.toshiba-energy.com/en/nuclearenergy/rd/safety-reactor.htm
Okay.
It IS the way to go but is blocked by fear and stupidity.
If only I were dictator for a day a push to Thorium would be one of my edicts.