>* A nuclear reactor is pretty much the only thing where a local fuckup can have globally disastrous consequences

Hydro-electric wants you to hold its beer.

Over the timeline that civilian nuclear has existed dams going pop has killed a lot more people and caused more destruction than nuclear. The fact that the consequences are "global" is mostly a reflection of how good we are at measuring radiation. While (for example) Chernobyl going pop was detectable over much of Europe the actual amount of radiation was of basically no consequence (i.e. less than more local sources of air pollution) except in the immediate vicinity.