Electricity From Nuclear Waste

A more efficient system is a SNAP generator (RTG), but their output is pretty low (but steady!) they surround the decaying radioisotope with an array of thermocouples and use the temperature differential between the isotope's decay heat with the surrounding environment (which in space is damned cold!) to generate power. But they only develop a few hundred watts of power generally. They have been used to power pipeline SCADA systems in remote areas here in the US and to power lighthouses in the former USSR. There has been talk of using them subsea to power subsea oil and gas wellhead telemetry systems as well. (it gets pretty cold down there too and there isn't a lot of people wandering by to be irradiated either.) I think Russia had the most powerful design ever built and it produced around 1200W if memory serves but the beast was dang near 10 ft tall. it was proposed to power Cassini but NASA ended up going with a different design. I think only one prototype was ever built.

Haven't heard of this, but have heard about the IFR (Integral Fast Reactor) that can use the current "waste" as fuel to generate electrical power. The waste it produces is much less and much less radioactive. I'd like to learn more about it.