Record High Public Support for Nuclear Energy, 2022 National Nuclear Energy Public Opinion Survey Finds

Ann S. Bisconti, PhD

June 3, 2022

U.S. public support for nuclear energy continues at a record high level. The National Nuclear Energy Public Opinion Survey conducted May 10-19, 2022 found record high majorities of the public favoring nuclear energy and building more nuclear power plants.

The National Nuclear Energy Public Opinion Survey has been launched at least once a year for four decades. The favorability question has been asked in a total of 85 surveys since 1983. The 2022 survey coincides with policymaker recognition of nuclear energy’s important role in combatting climate change, with increased public concerns about energy, and with burgeoning technological advancements in plant design. The survey included 1,000 nationally representative US adults, with a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points, and was conducted by Bisconti Research, Inc with the Quest Mindshare Online Panel.

Support for Nuclear Energy

More than three-fourths of the US. public (77 percent) said they strongly or somewhat favored the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States; 23 percent opposed. In 2021, 76 percent favored nuclear energy and 24 percent opposed. In the previous decade, favorability had plateaued in the 60 percent range.

Favorability to Nuclear Energy 1983-2022

Overall, do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States? (%)

Record support was measured also for building new plants. Most Americans (86 percent) believe that nuclear energy will be important in meeting the nation’s electricity needs in the years ahead. Also, 86 percent agreed that we should renew the license of nuclear power plants that continue to meet federal safety standards, 84 percent agreed that our nation should prepare now so that advanced design nuclear power plants will be available to provide electricity, and 72 percent agreed we should definitely build more nuclear power plants in the future.

The trend over the past 24 years shows that the current support for building more nuclear power plants is unprecedented.

Definitely Build More Nuclear Power Plants 1998-2022

How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements: We should definitely build more nuclear power plants in the future.(%)

Reinforcing the conclusion that attitudes are indeed changing is the fact that a majority of diverse demographic groups said they strongly or somewhat favor nuclear energy and agree that we should build new nuclear power plants. There are, however, some differences. Men continue to be more favorable than women, Republicans more favorable than Democrats and Independents, and self-described conservatives more favorable than moderates and liberals. The younger age groups, Generation Z and Millennials, are slightly more favorable than Generation X.

Majority of Diverse Demographic Groups Favor Nuclear Energy and Believes We Should Build More Nuclear Power Plants

• Overall, do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States?

• How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements? We should definitely build more nuclear power plants in the future. (%)

Communications Challenges Persist
Nuclear energy still has an image problem: many who personally favor nuclear energy believe that the public does not share that view. A hefty 77 percent said they personally favor nuclear energy, while just 59 percent thought that the majority of the public favors nuclear energy. The perception of public opinion changed more favorably in 2019, but the perception gap is still wide.

Perception of Public Opinion More Favorable Now, But Perception Gap Persists

• Overall, do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States? (%)

• Do you think that the majority of people in your community favor or oppose the use of nuclear energy? (%)

Public opinion on nuclear energy is highly changeable. Most members of the public do not hold a strong opinion pro or con nuclear energy. In May 2022, 33 percent strongly favored nuclear energy, and 7 percent were strongly opposed. The remaining 60 percent can be considered fence-sitters. More women than men are fence-sitters: in May 2022, just 28 percent of women strongly favored nuclear energy, and 8 percent strongly opposed. Among men, 39 percent strongly favored nuclear energy, and 6 percent strongly opposed.

Opinions are Changeable: Most People Are In the Middle

Overall, do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States?

Few people feel very well informed about the topic. In May 2022, only 16 percent felt very well informed, including 20 percent of men and just 13 percent of women.

The more informed people feel about nuclear energy, the more they favor it. In 2022, of those who said they felt very well informed about nuclear energy, 73 percent strongly favored it—and only 10 percent were strongly opposed.

Those who said they felt not at all well informed were least favorable to nuclear energy.

The More Informed People Feel, the More Favorable

• How well informed do you feel about nuclear energy used to produce electricity?

• Overall, do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States?

Information Impact

Information has a large impact on attitudes toward nuclear energy. This impact was measured in two ways at the end of the interview—after questions about attitudes.

1. Respondents were asked about their perceptions of nuclear energy as a reliable energy source (only 37 percent strongly agreed it is reliable) and a clean air energy source (only 29 percent strongly agreed it is a clean air energy source).

They were then shown this statement and asked how it affected their opinion of nuclear energy: “In fact, nuclear energy is America’s largest and most reliable clean-air energy source. Nuclear energy already produces more than half the zero-emission electricity in the United States, and it produces electricity reliably 24 hours a day.” Two-thirds of respondents (64 percent) said this statement made them more favorable to nuclear energy.

Impact of Statement:
“Nuclear Energy is America’s Largest and Most Reliable Clean Air Energy Source...”

Statement: In fact, nuclear energy is America’s largest and most reliable clean-air energy source. Nuclear energy already produces more than half the zero-emission electricity in the United States, and it produces electricity reliably 24 hours a day.

How does this fact affect your opinion of nuclear energy? (%)

2. Second, the survey asked respondents to rate the importance of seven “environmental advantages of current or future nuclear power plants.” They then selected the two most important advantages, with clean air and clean drinking water their top picks. These questions also were asked at the end of the interview after measuring attitudes and, thus did not bias the attitude measures that were asked earlier.

Most Important “Environmental Advantages of Current or Future Nuclear Power Plants”

Select the two environmental advantages of current or future nuclear power plants that are most important, in your opinion. (%)

Following this information, the same favorability question that had been asked at the beginning of the survey was repeated. Those favoring nuclear energy increased from 77 percent to 85 percent. Those strongly in favor increased from 33 percent to 42 percent.

Of those who initially opposed nuclear energy, half (51 percent) shifted to favor.

Favorability to Nuclear Energy Before and After Information

Overall, do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States? (%)

Of those who initially opposed nuclear energy, 51% changed to favor.

Conclusion

The second straight year of record high public favorability to nuclear energy and building more nuclear power plants, as measured in the National Nuclear Energy Public Opinion Poll, confirms that public opinion toward nuclear energy is becoming more favorable. The changing opinion environment offers a foundation for information that can firm up these attitudes. A large segment of the public still takes middle positions, views public opinion less favorably than one’s own opinion, does not feel very well informed about the subject, and holds an unclear view of nuclear energy’s clean air and reliability advantages. It is not surprising that a recent poll by Gallup found the public divided evenly on the question of favorability, when that question was asked in a different context. The fact that question context can make such a difference shows that the public can shift in one direction or the other until nuclear energy’s benefits become more widely and deeply recognized.

© Ann Stouffer Bisconti, 2022.