Although it has been in decline for most of the last decade, popular support for nuclear energy providing electricity has risen to a strong 55%, according to a new survey released by the Gallup polling company.
That figure represents a clear gain for nuclear power in the last seven years, with support down to 44% in 2016. Meanwhile, opposition has declined in an almost perfect symmetry during that same time from 54% in 2016 to 44% today.
Although the use of nuclear energy has gone through phases of varying critical evaluation among experts, Americans, says a narrative accompanying the survey results, “have generally been more amenable to the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity for the U.S. when oil prices have been high, and less open to it when oil prices are low.”
The strongest nuclear support was registered in 2010 when 62% of respondents said they were either strongly or somewhat in favor of the use of nuclear power. Opposition hit a low of 32% that same year.
The latest Gallup numbers come as the Biden Administration has targeted more than $1 billion in federal funds to keep power plants across the country open.
Past Gallup surveys have indicated that Republican respondents have in general been more supportive of nuclear energy than Democrats, with a high of 76% indicating support in 2009—a figure that now stands at a still-strong 62%.
Democrat responses have indicated less nuclear enthusiasm, with 46% in favor a decade ago—a figure that remains the same today.
By Garry Boulard
