(02/16/12) -

Nuclear Power Continues to Split Views in the United States

Republicans are more likely to regard nuclear energy as a great carbon-free alternative, but Democrats and Independents are not as convinced.

Americans remain divided when assessing nuclear energy, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.

Earlier this month, and for the first time since 1978, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved licenses for the construction of two new nuclear power plants in the United States.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of 1,029 American adults, almost half of respondents (47%) support building more nuclear power stations in the U.S., while about two-in-five (38%) disagree.

Respondents are evenly split when assessing different sources of energy, with 41 per cent expressing a wish for America to avoid nuclear energy and focus on other carbon-free sources, and 39 per cent wanting the country to further pursue its nuclear energy capabilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Four-in-five Americans (80%) say they are “very” or “moderately” concerned about nuclear waste management in the United States, while at least seven-in-ten are worried about nuclear technology falling into the hands of extremists (76%), an accident at a nuclear power plant (73%) and health risks for communities that are close to a nuclear power station (73%).

On the question of safety, Americans are also at odds. About a third of respondents (35%) consider nuclear power as more dangerous than other forms of energy, while a similar proportion (37%) deem it just as dangerous as other forms.

Analysis

Since the last Angus Reid Public Opinion survey on nuclear energy conducted two years ago, there is little movement on the way Americans feel about this issue. Support for new stations is slightly ahead of opposition, but still below the 50 per cent mark.

Republicans are definitely more supportive of nuclear energy than Democrats and Independents. GOP supporters are more likely to support building new nuclear power stations (60%, compared to the national average of 47%), more likely to believe that nuclear power is the best way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (53%, compared to 39% across the country), and less likely to believe that nuclear energy is more dangerous than other forms of energy (26%, compared to 35% in the U.S.).

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From February 13 to February 14, 2012, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,029 American adults who are Springboard America panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of the United States. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.