> much the entirety of the problems we've had with the EPR program has to do stopping building nuclear power plants for decades

In 1999 a new reactor started in France (Civaux-2).

In 2005 a new building site started (at Olkiluoto, Finland).

Even by considering start dates (Civaux-2: 1991) and neglecting that skills are needed during the building (and not only when it started) they only are 14 years apart.

Moreover many skills are needed for the maintenance of the existing fleet (in France).

Olkiluoto was planned as soon as in 2000, when its builder Areva NP created an agency in Finland in order to sell the project.

Also: most skills (concrete, welding...) aren't completely specific to the nuclear industry: part of those are shared with many other fields.

How a huge and well-organized heavy industry which sells projects could let key skills evaporate in a few years (no, not 'decades')?