NATIONAL SURVEY
OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
COMMUNITIES
(10-MILE
RADIUS AROUND
THE
64 PLANT SITES)
JULY-AUGUST 2007
for
N U CLE A R E NE RGY
I NS T IT U T E
by
BISCONTI RESEARCH, INC.
5530 GREYSTONE STREET, CHEVY CHASE, MD 20815
TEL: 301.657.5556 FAX: 301.657.5544
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BISCONTI RESEARCH, INC.
5530 GREYSTONE STREET  CHEVY CHASE, MD 20815
TEL: 301.657.5556  FAX: 301.657-5544
NOTES
ABOUT THE
SURVEY
AND
REPORT
In July-August 2007, Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) sponsored the second national public
opinion survey of nuclear power plant communities. The survey replicated the methodology
and most of the questions asked in August 2005. Bisconti Research, Inc. conducted the
survey with Quest Global Research Group, using lists of randomly selected residential phone
numbers provided by Affordable Samples, a sampling firm.
The U.S. has 103 nuclear power plants located at 64 nuclear power plant sites. “Nuclear
power plant communities” are defined as the 10-mile radius around each of the 64 nuclear
power plant sites, and “plant neighbors” are defined as adults living within that area. In
total, 1,152 adults were interviewed:



18 selected at random from each of the 64 plant sites.
Full-time residents of the area.
Households with electric company employees excluded.
By the random selection process, 10 of the total 1,152 persons interviewed in 2007 were also
interviewed in 2005.
The selection of 18 persons from each plant community resulted in the same geographic
distribution as in 2005:







24 percent in the Northeast. 1
27 percent in the Midwest.
30 percent in the South.
19 percent in the West.
25 percent in high population density areas.2
19 percent in medium population density areas.
56 percent in low population density areas.
As of the date of this survey, operators of 15 nuclear power plant sites are actually
participating in new plant licensing processes: Early Site Permitting (ESP) or Combined
Construction and Operating License (COL). Data from these ESP/COL sites (15 sites x 18
interviews = 270) were aggregated for analysis. In all, 23% of those interviewed are residents
of ESP/COL sites.
Regions correspond to regions of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
The population density classification of areas was based on the number of potential interviewees:
High = 20,000 or more, medium = 10,000 to 19,999, low = less than 10,000.
1
2
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SUMMARY
AND
OBSERVATIONS
A new national survey of persons living in nuclear power plant communities finds that 88
percent have a favorable impression of their local nuclear power plant. Also, 71 percent of
plant neighbors surveyed said it would be acceptable to add a new reactor at the site of the
nearest nuclear plant.
Bisconti Research, Inc., with Quest Global Research Group, conducted the telephone survey
in July and August 2007 with 1,152 randomly selected adults living within the 10-mile radius
of U.S. nuclear power plants.3 Attitudes in some communities are more favorable than
others. Among neighbors of nuclear power plants taking licensing steps toward possible
new reactors, 77 percent would find a new reactor at the nearest site acceptable.
The percentages who would find a new reactor acceptable vary by region: 78 percent in the
South, 76 percent in the West, 72 percent in the Midwest, and 56 percent in the East.
The overall survey results in 2007 are almost identical to 2005—some slightly more favorable
and some slightly less so. The numbers for acceptability of new plants are slightly lower.
Acceptability of Adding a New Nuclear Reactor at Nearest Nuclear Plant Site
“If a new power plant were needed to supply electricity, would it be acceptable to you or not acceptable to
you to add a new nuclear reactor at the site of the nearest nuclear power plant?”
Percentages
10-Mile Radius--2007
10-Mile Radius--2005
71
Acceptable
76
26
Not acceptable
22
3
Don't know
2
0
3
25
50
75
100
18 randomly selected adults within the 10-mile radius of each of the 64 nuclear power plant sites.
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Favorable Attitudes toward Nuclear Energy
Nuclear power plant neighbors continue to express favorable opinions about nuclear energy:

91 percent believe that nuclear energy will be important in meeting future energy
needs—compared with 89 percent in 2005.

82 percent favor the use of nuclear energy—compared with 83 percent in 2005.
Most support license renewal and new plant activities:

90 percent support license renewal of nuclear power plants that continue to meet
federal safety standards—also 90 percent in 2005.

84 percent support keeping the option to build more nuclear power plants—83 percent
in 2005.

85 percent agree that electric utilities should prepare now so that new nuclear power
plants can be built in the future if needed—81 percent in 2005.

77 percent agree we should definitely build more nuclear power plants in the future—
73 percent in 2005.
Favorable Attitudes about the Local Plant
Plant neighbors’ impressions of the local nuclear power plants and how they are being
operated are overwhelmingly favorable. Neighbors with a very favorable impression
outnumber those with a very unfavorable impression by 57 percent to four percent.
General Impression of Closest Nuclear Power Plant
“Thinking of the nuclear power plant closest to where you live, would you describe your general
impression of this plant and the way it has operated recently as very favorable, somewhat favorable,
somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable?”
Percentages
10-Mile Radius--2007
10-Mile Radius--2005
86
87
FAVORABLE
11
10
UNFAVORABLE
57
60
Very favorable
29
27
Somewhat favorable
7
7
Somewhat unfavorable
4
3
3
3
Very unfavorable
Don't know
0
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25
50
75
100
4

73 percent believe that the majority of people in their community hold a favorable
impression of their nuclear power plant.

86 percent gave their nearby nuclear power plant high safety ratings (5-7 on a 1-7
scale); 69 percent rated plant safety 6 or 7.
Most nuclear power plant neighbors have favorable perceptions of the company that
operates the plant regarding safe operations, environmental practices, and community
involvement.

87 percent are confident in the ability of the company that operates the nearest nuclear
power plant to operate a nuclear power plant safely.

81 percent believe that this company is doing a good job of protecting the
environment.

77 percent believe that this company is involved in the community as a good citizen.
Seven excellent messages were tested. All seven make at least 80 percent of plant neighbors
more inclined to support a decision by an electric company to add a new reactor at the site of
the nearest nuclear power plant that is already operating. The top three are:

The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspects and monitors each nuclear
power plant daily. If a nuclear power plant is not operating safely, the regulator will
shut it down until it improves its safety practices—84 percent more inclined.

The U.S. plans to recycle used nuclear fuel to make more electricity and reduce the
amount of nuclear waste—86 percent more inclined.

We should plan for the future, so we can avoid energy shortages. As our economy and
population grow, reliable and affordable sources of electricity like nuclear energy will
be needed—85 percent more inclined.
Branding Metrics
The survey included some questions as benchmarks to measure the effectiveness of
industrywide local communications to brand nuclear energy.
Of five considerations for the way electricity is produced, plant neighbors put clean air first,
followed by affordability. Linkages with branding benefits have not increased much
compared with 2005 (changes in parentheses):



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67 percent associate nuclear energy a lot with efficiency (-1)
66 percent associate nuclear energy a lot with clean air (no change)
65 percent associate nuclear energy a lot with reliability (-2)
5



62 percent associate nuclear energy a lot with energy independence (not asked in 2005)
60 percent associate nuclear energy a lot with energy security (+4)
53 percent associate nuclear energy a lot with affordability (+3)
Many plant neighbors said they heard or read information about the need for and benefits of
nuclear energy in the past year, but there continues to be room for improvement:





65 percent heard or read about the reliability of nuclear power plants (+5)
63 percent heard or read about the need to build more nuclear power plants in the U.S.
(no change)
62 percent heard or read about the efficiency of nuclear power plants (no change)
61 percent heard or read about the clean air benefits of nuclear energy (no change)
48 percent heard about using nuclear energy as a solution for global warming and
climate change (not asked in 2005)
Those who remembered hearing something about the clean air or climate change benefits of
nuclear energy during the past year were more favorable to the idea of adding a new reactor
at the nearest plant site.
Percent Saying a New Reactor at the Nearest Site Would Be Acceptable
By Awareness of Hearing about Nuclear Energy’s
Clean Air or climate Change Benefits
Heard
76
Did not hear
60
0
20
40
60
80
100
Climate Change Opinions
Nearly 40 percent of plant neighbors believe that climate change is a serious problem and
that immediate action is necessary; another 28 percent believe that action should be taken
because climate change could be serious. These opinions are almost identical to those of the
U.S. public at large.
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Opinion on Climate Change and Global Warming
“Which of the following statements is closest to your opinion on climate change and global warming?”
Percentages
10-Mile Radius--2007
All U.S.--2007
39
It is a serious problem, and immediate action is
necessary
41
28
It could be a serious problem, and we should take
some action now
26
24
More research is needed before action is taken
23
8
Or, it is not a problem and does not require any action
9
0
10
20
30
40
50
In policy circles, a part of the rationale for building new nuclear power plants is the role that
nuclear energy plays as a solution to climate change. However, as the following graph
shows, the plant neighbors who are most supportive of adding a reactor at the nearest plant
site are not the ones who see climate change as a serious problem that requires immediate
action. Persons with all other opinions about climate change are more accepting of a new
reactor.

Among those most convinced that climate change is serious, persons who heard
something during the past year about how nuclear power plants are a solution are
more supportive of adding a new reactor than those who have not heard this
information.
Percent Saying a New Reactor at the Nearest Nuclear Power Plant is Acceptable: Three
Segments
Percentages
Not convinced that climate change is a serious
problem
78
Climate change is serious/heard about nuclear energy
as a solution
68
Climate change is serious/did not hear about nuclear
energy as a solution
50
0
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20
40
60
80
100
7
Waste Topics: Safe at the Plant but Better at Yucca Mountain
Many plant neighbors also heard or read something in the past year about waste topics—no
change from 2005:

54 percent heard about the development of a federal nuclear waste disposal facility at
Yucca Mountain.

53 percent heard about transportation of nuclear waste to an isolated disposal facility
at Yucca Mountain in Nevada.
Despite confidence that nuclear waste can be stored safely at the plant site, most plant
neighbors would like the waste to go to Yucca Mountain, as long as it meets NRC standards:

71 percent agree that nuclear waste can be stored safely at the plant site until it is
moved to a permanent disposal facility.

78 percent would like the federal government to continue to develop the Yucca
Mountain site for a national disposal facility for nuclear waste as long as it meets NRC
standards.
Neighbors are less certain that nuclear waste can be shipped safely by train or truck for
disposal; 58 percent agree, 31 percent disagree, and 11 percent are unsure.
Feeling Informed
Comfort with facilities like nuclear power plants is thought to be associated with familiarity
and control. As noted earlier, a message about NRC oversight (control) increases support for
new reactors. Plant neighbors are quite well informed about the plant, but they feel less
familiar with the NRC.

79 percent feel at least somewhat well informed about the plant; 32 percent feel very
well informed.

55 percent feel at least somewhat well informed about the NRC and what it does, but
only 15 percent feel very well informed.
The more plant neighbors feel informed about the plant and the NRC, the more favorable
they are to the plant.
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Percent Very Favorable Impression of Local Nuclear Power Plant,
By Level of Feeling Informed about the Plant
Very well informed
about the plant
79
Somewhat well
informed about the
plant
53
Not too/not at all
well informed
about the plant
31
0
25
50
75
100
Percent Very Favorable Impression of Local Nuclear Power Plant,
By Level of Feeling Informed about the NRC
Very well informed
about the NRC
74
Somewhat well
informed about the
NRC
63
Not too/not at all
well informed
45
0
25
50
75
100
Reasons why many feel well informed about the plant itself include:



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10 percent have worked at a nuclear power plant (retired or contractors).
50 percent have a close friend who has worked at a nuclear power plant.
48 percent have visited a nuclear power plant or information center at a nuclear power
plant; half of those said the visit made them more favorable to nuclear energy, and
almost all the others said it made no difference.
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Information Sources: Plant Sources Credible
The main sources of information about the nuclear power plant are the news media and plant
sources: company materials, people who work at the plant, and visits to the plant or
information center.
The most highly rated sources for accurate and reliable information about the nuclear power
plant also are plant sources:





Safety experts at the local plant
Radiation experts at the local plant
Environmental experts at the local plant
Booklets or brochures from the local plant
“People you know” who work at the local plant
The NRC also is viewed as a credible source.
Observations
These findings show conclusively that NIMBY does not apply in nuclear power plant
communities.
Increasingly, the public at large is becoming more comfortable with nuclear power plants as
their performance improves and the need for nuclear energy as part of the energy mix
becomes more apparent. For people who live within the 10-mile radius of nuclear power
plants, the high level of support may be due also to familiarity. Living near a nuclear power
plant removes the mystery surrounding the technology; the plant is a part of normal
everyday life.
This survey excluded households with persons employed by an electric company, but many
of those interviewed reported that family, friends, and neighbors have worked at a nuclear
power plant. The confidence they expressed in the plant and in the company that operates
the plant is likely confirmed by what they hear from plant employees.
Risk perception theory posits that key factors in determining perception of risk are control,
familiarity, and need/benefit. In the case of nuclear power plants, familiarity increases the
feeling of control. The survey results indicate that familiarity gives confidence that the
company that operates the plant will protect the public and the environment.
Plant neighbors have a positive image of nuclear energy. The survey found that many
nuclear power plant neighbors associate nuclear energy with efficiency, reliability, and clean
air. Familiarity, thus, also enhances awareness of how the plant contributes to meeting
electricity needs and to quality of life.
However, there is room to increase awareness of the benefits. Increasing awareness of these
benefits appears to strengthen resolve to support the local plant.
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The policy focus on climate change has greatly increased in the past year. About half the
plant neighbors heard or read something during the past year about nuclear energy’s role as
a solution to climate change. For those most concerned about climate change, hearing this
information makes a large difference in their support for nuclear energy and plant additions.
For communications in general, the survey indicates that in-house experts can be very
credible spokespersons. Experts in different areas—safety, radiation, and environment—all
have potentially high credibility. Focus group research suggests it would be worthwhile to
use all of the above-listed experts at the same time. Panels of experts who can explain
different areas or aspects of safety would be most appreciated.
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