Polls & Research

Support for Nuclear Power Grows in U.S.

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - More adults in the United States believe the country should build new atomic reactors, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 55 per cent of respondents think it is time to begin building nuclear power plants again, up 11 points since June.

More than 100 nuclear reactors supply close to 20 per cent of the electricity used in the U.S. In May, the nuclear power consortium NuStart Energy named six sites in Alabama, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New York and South Carolina as prospective locations for future power plants.

On Aug. 8, U.S. president George W. Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005, saying, "Of all our nation's energy sources, only nuclear power plants can generate massive amounts of electricity without emitting an ounce of air pollution or greenhouse gases. And thanks to the advances in science and technology, nuclear plants are far safer than ever before. Yet America has not ordered a nuclear plant since the 1970s. (...) We will start building nuclear power plants again by the end of this decade."

Bush also said that the new legislation makes "an unprecedented commitment to energy conservation and efficiency," adding, "The bill sets higher efficiency standards for federal buildings and for household products. It directs the Department of Transportation to study the potential for sensible improvements in fuel-efficiency standards for cars and trucks and SUVs. It authorizes new funding for research into cutting-edge technologies that will help us do more with less energy." 64 per cent of respondents believe developing new power sources is more important in the long run, while 26 per cent favour conservation.

Polling Data

Is it time for the United States to begin building nuclear power plants again?

Which is more important in the long run—conserving energy or developing new sources of energy?