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Nuclear Power Plant Neighbors Accept Potential for New Reactor Near Them By Margin of 3 to 1

Posted on: Wednesday, 12 October 2005, 15:00 CDT

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Eighty-three percent of Americans living in close proximity to nuclear power plants favor nuclear energy, and 76 percent are willing to see a new reactor built near them, according to a new public opinion survey of more than 1,100 adults across the United States.

The first-of-its-kind survey that questioned only residents within 10 miles of an operating nuclear power plant also found that 85 percent give the nearest nuclear power plant a "high" safety rating, and that 88 percent are confident that the company operating the power plant can do so safely. Electric company employees were excluded from the survey.

The telephone survey of 1,152 randomly selected plant neighbors -- 18 adults within 10 miles of each of the nation's 64 nuclear power plant sites -- was conducted in August by Bisconti Research Inc. with Quest Global Research Group. The survey, with a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points, was commissioned by the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI). The survey marked the first time that nuclear power plant neighbors have been surveyed nationally for their attitudes about nuclear energy.

"The survey confirms what some utilities have seen in their own public opinion surveys and interactions in the community -- that is, that most nuclear power plant neighbors support their local plant," said Ann Bisconti, president of Bisconti Research. "NIMBY (not in my back yard) does not apply at existing plant sites because close neighbors have a positive view of nuclear energy, are familiar with the plant, and believe that the plant benefits the community."

Seventy-six percent of residents near nuclear plants said it would be acceptable to add a new reactor at the site of the nearest nuclear power plant, if a new power plant were needed to supply electricity. Twenty-two percent of respondents said it would not be acceptable, and two percent said they don't know.

The survey's findings come at a time when several energy companies, spurred in part by enactment in August of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, are taking steps to test the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's new licensing processes for new plants.

The law includes limited incentives for new nuclear power plant construction and measures to protect companies against delay in the federal government's review of new reactor licenses.

"It's obvious that people living near nuclear plants have a high degree of familiarity and comfort with nuclear energy and would welcome the economic and environmental benefits of new nuclear plants," said Scott Peterson, NEI vice president for communications. "The poll's results show that support for new nuclear plants is strong among those residents who live near nuclear plants. This bodes well for the prospect of new plant construction, particularly for those companies considering adding new reactors at existing nuclear plant sites."

By a margin of 83 percent to 16 percent, plant neighbors said they favor the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States. And by a margin of 87 percent to 10 percent, they said they have a favorable impression of the nearby nuclear power plant and the way it has operated recently. Seventy-five percent said they believe that the majority of people in their community have a favorable impression of their local nuclear power plant.

When asked about the company that operates the nearest nuclear power plant, 83 percent agreed that, "this company is involved in the community as a good citizen," and 84 percent agreed that, "this company is doing a good job of protecting the environment."

Eighty-one percent of plant neighbors said they are "very well informed" or "somewhat well informed" about the nearest nuclear power plant. Seventy-one percent have lived in the area for more than 10 years; 86 percent have lived there for at least five years.

The results of the survey follow below and will be posted in the "News Room" section of the Nuclear Energy Institute web site at http://www.nei.org/.

The Nuclear Energy Institute is the nuclear energy industry's policy organization. This news release and additional information about nuclear energy are available on NEI's Internet site at http://www.nei.org/.

Questions for EPZ Survey: FINAL August 2005 All numbers shown are percentages. Introduction

We would like your opinions in a national public opinion survey. We are asking questions of the general public across the U.S. and also in communities near nuclear power plants.

Screener Questions: RECORD IF TERMINATED IN X, A, AND B X. NON-ENGLISH SPEAKER, UNABLE TO INTERVIEW -- RECORD A. Are you, or is anyone in your household, an employee of an electric company? Yes TERMINATE -- RECORD No 100 B. Are you a full-time resident of this area? Yes 100 No TERMINATE -- RECORD C. How long have you lived in this area? (CHECK ONLY ONE RESPONSE) Less than 1 year 2 1 year to 4+ years 12 5 to 10 years 15 More than 10 years 71 D. Is there a nuclear-powered electric generating plant in this area? Yes 100 No -- SKIP TO DEMOGRAPHICS Q 35 Not sure -- SKIP TO DEMOGRAPHICS Q 35 Attitudes Toward Nuclear Energy and Branding Metrics

1) How important do you think nuclear energy will be in meeting this nation's electricity needs in the years ahead? Do you think nuclear energy will be very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not important at all? (CHECK ONLY ONE RESPONSE.)

IMPORTANT 89 NOT IMPORTANT 6 Very important 67 Somewhat important 22 Not too important 3 Not important at all 3 (Don't know) 5

2) Please tell me if you personally strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree with the following statements. How about ... (READ LIST. ROTATE. CHECK ONLY ONE RESPONSE FOR EACH.)

Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly Don't AGREE Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Know When their original operating license expires, we should renew the license of nuclear power plants that continue to meet federal safety standards 90 67 23 3 6 1 We should keep the option to build more nuclear power plants in the future 83 56 27 6 10 1 Electric utilities should prepare now so that new nuclear power plants could be built if needed in the next decade 81 52 29 7 10 2 We should definitely build more nuclear power plants in the future 73 43 30 9 14 4

3) 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? (CHECK ONLY ONE RESPONSE.)

FAVOR 83 OPPOSE 16 Strongly favor 53 Somewhat favor 30 Somewhat oppose 8 Strongly oppose 8 (Don't know) 1 Attitudes Toward Local Plant

4) 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?

FAVORABLE 87 UNFAVORABLE 10 Very favorable 60 Somewhat favorable 27 Somewhat unfavorable 7 Very unfavorable 3 (Don't know) 3

5) Do you think that the majority of people in your community have a favorable or unfavorable impression of this plant?

Favorable 75 Unfavorable 13 (Don't know) 11

6) As far as you know, what other types of electricity plants are within 10 miles of where you live -- for example, any coal, gas, hydropower, wind, or other types of electricity plants? (CHECK ALL TYPES MENTIONED)

None, don't know -- SKIP to Q8 62 Coal 16 Gas 7 Hydropower 10 Wind 3 Other 2

7) IF ANY TYPE OF ELECTRICITY PLANT IS MENTIONED IN Q6, ASK: Would you describe your general impression of this other plant/these other plants and the way it has/they have operated recently as very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable?

FAVORABLE 30 UNFAVORABLE 3 Very favorable 16 Somewhat favorable 14 Somewhat unfavorable 2 Very unfavorable 1 (Don't know) 5

8) I am going to read to you six considerations for the way electricity is produced, and I'd like you to tell me which one is most important to you. Here are the six considerations ... (READ LIST SLOWLY. RANDOMIZE. CHECK ONLY ONE RESPONSE.)

Clean air 30 Affordability 18 Reliability 19 Sustainability 8 Efficiency 14 Energy security 8 (None) 1 (Don't know) 2

9) Do you associate nuclear energy a lot, a little, or not at all with ... (REPEAT QUESTION FOR EACH CONSIDERATION. RANDOMIZE. CHECK ONLY ONE RESPONSE FOR EACH.)

Don't A Lot A Little Not At All Know a. Clean air 66 19 10 4 b. Affordability 50 30 11 9 c. Reliability 67 25 6 3 d. Sustainability 59 26 7 8 e. Efficiency 68 21 6 4 f. Energy security 56 29 9 6

10) Thinking about the nuclear power plant that is nearest to where you live, how safe do you regard this plant? Please think of a scale from "1" to "7," where "1" means very unsafe and "7" means very safe. The safer you think it is, the higher the number you would give. (DO NOT READ LIST. CHECK ONLY ONE RESPONSE.)

HIGH SAFETY RATING (5-7) 85 MIDDLE (4) 6 LOW SAFETY RATING (1-3) 8 (Don't know) 1

11) Now, I'd like to ask you about the company that operates the nuclear power plant nearest to you. Please tell me if you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree with the following statements about this company. (READ LIST. ROTATE. CHECK ONLY ONE RESPONSE FOR EACH.)

Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly Don't AGREE Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Know I am confident in this company's ability to operate a nuclear power plant safely. 88 61 27 6 4 2 This company is involved in the community as a good citizen. 83 54 29 7 4 7 This company is doing a good job of protecting the environment. 84 50 34 5 5 6 New Plant Questions

12) A company may ask the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission to approve a site for a nuclear power plant before making a decision about whether to build a plant there. It takes years for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to complete their study of a site, so having early site approval means that the company could build a plant more quickly when needed. As part of planning for the future, would you approve or disapprove of conducting such a review for a new reactor at the nuclear power plant site nearest you?

Approve 75 Disapprove 23 (Don't know) 2

13) 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? (DO NOT READ LIST. CHECK ONLY ONE RESPONSE.)

Acceptable 76 Not acceptable 22 (Don't know) 2

14) I'll read some topics about nuclear energy. Please tell me if you have heard or read any information on the topic in the past year. Just say yes or no. (RANDOMIZE IN SETS. READ EACH TOPIC AND RECORD YES OR NO TO EACH.)

Yes No (Don't Know) Set A * Clean air benefits of nuclear energy ... 61 38 1 Set B * Reliability of nuclear power plants 60 40 0 * Reliability of the nuclear power plant 65 35 0 or plants in your area Set C * Efficiency of nuclear power plants 62 38 0 Set D * The need for nuclear energy 70 30 0 * The need for the nuclear power plant 46 54 0 or plants in your area * The need to build more nuclear power 63 37 0 plants in the U.S. Set E * Nuclear waste storage at the plant site 44 55 1 * Development of a federal nuclear waste 54 45 1 disposal facility at Yucca Mountain in Nevada * Transportation of nuclear waste to 54 45 1 an isolated disposal facility at Yucca Mountain in Nevada

15) Do you feel very well informed, somewhat well informed, not too well informed, or not well informed at all about the nuclear power plant nearest to where you live?

Very well informed 30 Somewhat well informed 51 Not too well informed 12 Not well informed at all 7

16) Please tell me if you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree with the following statements about nuclear waste management.

Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly Don't AGREE Agree Agree Disagree Disagree Know Nuclear waste can be stored safely at the plant site until it is moved to a permanent disposal facility. 72 31 41 10 11 6 The federal government should continue to develop the Yucca Mountain site for a national disposal facility for nuclear waste as long as it meets U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations. 83 47 36 6 8 4 Security and Emergency Preparedness

17) How confident are you that nuclear power plants are sufficiently secure to withstand a terrorist attack? Are you very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not at all confident? (DO NOT READ LIST. CHECK ONLY ONE RESPONSE.)

CONFIDENT 68 NOT CONFIDENT 31 Very confident 25 Somewhat confident 43 Not too confident 18 Not at all confident 13 Don't know 1

18) Do you feel very well informed, somewhat well informed, not too well informed, or not well informed at all about what is the first thing to do in case of an emergency at the nuclear power plant nearest to where you live?

Very well informed 42 Somewhat well informed 38 Not too well informed 10 Not well informed at all 9 (Don't know) 1

19) Have you received any materials from the nuclear power plant with information about what to do in case of an emergency at that plant? Yes / No - - SKIP TO Q. 25

Yes 68 No 31 (Don't know) 2

20) Have you received any materials from any organization about what to do in case of an emergency involving natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, or floods?

Yes 32 No 66 (Don't know) 1

21) Do you feel very well informed, somewhat well informed, not too well informed, or not well informed at all about the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and what it does?

Very well informed 14 Somewhat well informed 45 Not too well informed 25 Not well informed at all 16 Activities

22) Do any of your family members engage in recreational activities within sight of the nearest nuclear power plant?

Yes 48 No 51

23) To the best of your knowledge, is each of the following true or false? (READ LIST. ROTATE. CHECK ONLY ONE RESPONSE FOR EACH.)

(Don't True False Know) You are considered 27 72 1 an opinion leader in your community You consider yourself 59 40 1 an environmentalist You have visited a 49 51 0 nuclear power plant or an information center at the plant

24) Those who visited a nuclear power plant or information center: Did your visit to the information center give you a more favorable impression of nuclear energy than you had before, a less favorable impression, or did it not make any difference?

More favorable 27 Less favorable 1 No difference 20 (Don't know) 1 Demographics

I need to ask a few quick demographic questions to be sure we have a representative sample.

25) Do you have children under age 12 living in your home? Yes 23 No 77 (Don't know, no answer) 0 26) What was the highest level of school you completed? Some grade school 5 Graduated high school 29 Technical/vocational school 4 Some college 22 Graduated college 26 Graduate school 13 (Don't know, no answer) 1 27) Is your age ... 18 to 20 2 21 to 34 12 35 to 44 19 45 to 54 22 55 to 64 23 65 or older 21 (Don't know, no answer) 1 28) Are you currently registered to vote? Yes 92 No (THANKS & END) 8 Don't know/refused (THANKS & END) 0 If yes: Are you registered as a ... Republican 31 Democrat 27 Independent 21 Other WRITE IN 2 (Don't know, no answer) 11 No answer 8 Thank you very much for giving us your opinions. RECORD (DO NOT ASK) Male 43 Female 57

Nuclear Energy Institute

CONTACT: Nuclear Energy Institute Media Relations, Business Hours:+1-202-739-8000, or After Hours and Weekends: +1-703-644-8805

Web site: http://www.nei.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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