There are safer nuclear power plant options - the French designed a closed system where the water constantly cools the rods in the event of a meltdown by evaporation and condensation model (water falls from above in an enclosed dome, gets superheated and turns to steam, rises and turns back to liquid and rains down on the fuel cooling it enough that it does not melt through the reactor and on and on till infinity.

The problem is such a reactor needs to be build in stable geological zones (not near bodies of water or earthquakes zones), be protected from terrorist attacks and costs a billions to build.

So it can be done but hella expensive.