The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) announced on Wednesday that a recent study indicates that a majority of those living within 10 miles of a nuclear plant support their operation.
In the survey, which was conducted in partnership with Bisconti Research and Quest Global Research Group, 89 percent of respondents had a favorable opinion of their local nuclear power plant and 83 percent agreed that their local plant operated safely. According to NEI, this indicates growing popularity of nuclear power and the elimination of the "not in my backyard (NIMBY)" mentality.
The sample size of the survey included 1,080 individuals that were 18 and older and located within 10 miles of 60 nuclear sites across the country.
"These findings, repeated in six national surveys, provide one more validation of the clear finding that most plant neighbors hold favorable attitudes toward their plant," President of Bisconti Research Ann Bisconti said. "They once again show that familiarity with nuclear energy leads to support. They also show that companies achieve favorable attitudes by operating the plants safely, tending to the environment, providing value to the community and reaching out to neighbors."
Among respondents, 73 percent stated that additional power plants should be built in the future. Ninety percent of respondents believed that nuclear energy will play an important role in energy security for the nation.
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