But let's adopt a standadized design first. The problem with our first generation of plants is that every reactor was individually designed and built. If cars were designed and manufactured that way, who could afford one?
One of the problems is that we don't have a free market in energy. Its regulated monopolies. And those monopolies get a set return on investment.
So every company wants to find ways to increase its costs. Which is why the companies were all for the heavy regulatory burden, and each one designing special plants. As it allowed them to get the sweet above market guarunteed return on capital.. on more capital.
Of course with everything ran as a monopoly price rises over time. Unlike anything on the free market where price decreases over time.
Pick one (given we no longer have the engineering talent on short to design one ourselves) and go.