I don't think your far off, but at this moment, "non car" energy is not yet really  in crisis, except in certain localities, and due to the greenhouse gas concern, much more than the "fuel supply" problem.  It is "liquid fuel" problems, i.e., the car fuel problem that is most pressing.  

Please check out some of the posts and links on down this thread on DG (Distributed Generation), it is an area in which we have not even began to scratch the surface of possible advances, incorporating "smart" grids, 'mini" grids, semi autonomous and part time stand alone power, energy storage on small flexible systems that can be used for power shaving, power smoothing, and streamlining the grid system to reduce line loss, incorporate renewables in various scales, use flywheel storage, ultra capacitors, thermal storage through cryogenics and ground coupled geothermal heatpumps, electrified transportation by hybrid and electric car and light rail and Personal Transport Rail, the list goes on and on.  

Right now, for the planners and investors "in the know" of what is really going on technically,  they are rightfully frightened of sinking billions into concentrated expensive nuclear.  About the time, a decade or two away, when they finally get them built and running (as you rightfully point out it will take years and years), they look up and there is no market for expensive, centralized only semi-reliable power from a single massive source (remember, one major storm, or an equipment failure at one giant reactor and you could still be in the dark, completely reliant on ONE single utility and it's nuclear priesthood to maintain your lifestyle.)

Nuclear will just be so passe', it will seem so primitive!  :-(

Roger Conner  known to you as ThatsItImout