Re: Would my idea of converting nuclear energy and electricty work?

You might have something there and it would definitely be something to keep in 
mind as you progress in your study of physics.  For a first look at some of the 
technologies that have been considered for conversion of nuclear energy to 
electricity, you might want to hunt down a copy of M. M. El-Wakil's Nuclear 
Energy Conversion, 1971, isbn 0-7002-2310-X.  The book may still be available 
through the American Nuclear Society (they have a web page) or through your 
local librarian.  Chapter 15 of that book is titled Direct Energy Conversion of 
Nuclear Radiations.

I found a more current edition of the reference at

    http://store.ans.org/index.cgi?
id=as12361dyge33399&category=Textbooks&item=350008&func=viewitem&block=

Circa 1971, the nuclear radiation converter types were

    - radiation-induced ionization

    - radiation excitation of semiconductors

    - direct collection of charged particles

But none of these concepts, to the best of my knowledge, has been developed to 
prototype and certainly not on the scale that would be necessary to solve 
energy shortages in California.  That could all change, of course, with future 
advances in technology.

Thanks for your question.

sid