The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) said its semiannual public opinion survey indicates the public supports nuclear energy to a high degree.
The survey, conducted between Feb. 18 and March 1 in part by Bisconti Research, Inc., and Quest Global Research, found that 83 percent of respondents stated it was important for the U.S. nuclear industry to act as a leading force in global markets.
Eighty-six percent of respondents stated that they support renewal of operating licenses of power plants that meet federal standards. Up to 77 percent of respondents also indicated that companies should prepare themselves for nuclear energy growth so that additional facilities could be realized in the next decade. Of those who answered, 68 percent of respondents supported nuclear energy as an option for providing electricity.
The survey involved 1,000 adults living across the U.S. who were surveyed over landlines or their cellphones. Survey questions gauged opinions on a number of aspects including the importance of nuclear energy, if nuclear energy should be an option for the delivery of electricity and how strong those opinions were.
The public opinion survey also indicated that among those who live in close proximity to a nuclear plant, a majority supported retooling of how the federal government manages used fuel rods.
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