Attitudes To Nuclear Energy

Research among the British general public on behalf of the Nuclear Industry Association shows that most (59%) now expect nuclear energy to be part of the future mix of energy sources. The survey shows significant improvements in support for building new nuclear power stations to replace those about to be decommissioned. Some 41% now support this, up from 35% last December, with 28% opposed to new nuclear power stations (similar to last year, 30%). An increased proportion of the public now see nuclear energy as a key secure and reliable source of energy in future (up five points to 33%), level with wave power (32%). In contrast, fewer now see gas as a key future energy source — down seven points to 23%. So while the public still sees renewables (wind and solar energy) as most important for the future, it does seem that public hostility to nuclear power is diminishing in the face of problems with rising carbon dioxide emissions and uncertainty about other sources of energy. This is against a background of increasing awareness by the public of the potential "energy gap" that is likely to arise in the future, given the planned programme of power station closures.

Technical details

Ipsos interviewed face-to-face a representative quota sample of 2,035 adults aged 15+ in 200 sampling points across Great Britain in the period 3-7 November 2005, Data is weighted to the profile of the population of Great Britain.