What is the true cause of the reluctance to build new nuclear plants in the west?

For decades the West has not not actively enlarged its nuclear power generation sector. On the contrary, it's been preparing to shut down some old plants without any replacement. Only now interest has started to grow, perhaps too little too late when oil price and carbon emissions factors have become really critical.
But what are the true course of this 'acute nucleaphobia'? Is it really some much mentioned safety and ecological reasons that has retained the development of nuclear sector in the West, or is it a kind of 'Chernobyl post traumatic syndrome'? What so far has been almost completely left outside the public debate is the psychological detrimental effect of this disaster which in tern impacted the normal development of nuclear power generation industry the world over.
http://dr-world.blogspot.com/2010/11/ghost-of-chernobyl-still-hinders.html
What are your thoughts?

† PRAY †2010-12-03T22:14:05Z

Favorite Answer

The anti nuclear people don't want it. They are afraid of accidents ..
P

Anonymous2010-12-04T09:47:27Z

There is no one cause. The decision-makers are influenced by various pressures and pressure groups. (In some countries there are local 'NIMTY' - 'not in my back yard'). Media add their pressures.

The technical probabilities of disaster and problems of nuclear waste are factored in to the pressures applied.

The reasoning is anyway too complex to 'prove' the decision to be a right or wrong one. Politicians are sensitive to consequences on their future electability.

Anonymous2010-11-29T17:35:30Z

there is no such cause.