NEI survey shows strong support for nuclear industry

A recent public opinion survey conducted for the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) revealed that the majority of Americans support the nuclear industry and believe it will be important for a sustainable future.

Bisconti Research, Inc. and Quest Global Research conducted the survey from Feb. 18 to March 1.

Support for nuclear energy was particularly popular in the Midwest and in the South, where five reactors are currently undergoing construction.

The survey found that 68 percent of respondents favored “the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States."

Approval ratings were nearly 8 percent higher in the Midwest, with 76 percent of respondents favoring the use of nuclear energy. In the South, the approval was 71 percent.

"On a wide range of measures, the new survey shows an upturn in support for nuclear energy over the past year," Ann Bisconti, president of Bisconti, said. "What really stands out to me, having surveyed public opinion in this area for more than 30 years, is the sustained positive turnaround in public attitudes on nuclear energy over the past quarter century," 

According to the survey, an increasing number of Americans rank reliability and clean air as their top two criteria for future electricity production with 86 percent of Americans saying "we should take advantage of all low-carbon energy sources, including nuclear, hydro and renewable energy, to produce the electricity we need while limiting greenhouse gas emissions."

"In 1983, when the Nuclear Energy Institute's public tracking program began, only half the public favored nuclear energy," Bisconti said. "Now, more than two-thirds of Americans are favorable."

Nuclear energy facilities currently produce electricity for 1 out of every 5 U.S. homes and businesses.