Nuclear energy is associated with stability, economic development, wellbeing and new jobs

Public confidence in nuclear energy has increased in all regions where nuclear power stations (Rosenergoatom affiliates) are located. The results come from the poll held in 2015 by the independent scientific and technical center Perspektiva. For example, 65% of the residents of Saratov Oblast and the city of Balakovo (where the Balakovo nuclear power plant is located) characterized their attitude to the nuclear power plant as positive. Compared to 2013, this indicator has gone up by 12% across Saratov Oblast, and by 20% in the city-host of the NPP. More than 60% of the residents of Leningrad Oblast and 74% of citizens of Sosnovy Bor (where the Leningrad NPP is located) characterized their attitude to nuclear power plants as positive. About 80% of the residents of Rostov Oblast view nuclear power positively.

The main objectives of the poll were to assess the perception by the locals of nuclear power and nuclear industry in general; to discover the public attitudes to nuclear industry enterprises located on the territory of the respondents; to identify the views of the population about the living conditions in the territory hosting a nuclear power plant. An estimated 5,500 people were polled, or at least 600 in every region with a nuclear power plant. The error margin was below 3%.

Senior Research Scientist at the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Nizhny Novgorod subsidiary) Alexander Prudnik commented on the results of the poll, BelTA informs.

Nuclear energy is closely connected with the image of the state and the state policy. The growth of confidence in public authorities and the state automatically leads to the improved attitude to all government-related originations. This is true of not only nuclear energy but also the army, foreign policy and other things. From the public point of view the sector is well-supported today as it benefits from a growth of patriotic sentiments in the society in general.

Nuclear power is one of the main sectors we can be proud of. And this is another reason for a positive attitude, I think. The domestic nuclear industry is currently one of the most advanced in the world. The society, including in the regions and cities hosting nuclear power plants, are well are of this fact.

Economic crisis is the third and the most evident reason. Negative attitudes towards nuclear power usually increase in the conditions of total wellbeing.  We can see it in European countries. In terms of a crisis, when social wellbeing comes to the forefront, all fears and concerns are replaced by common sense and pragmatism – how do I benefit from the development of the nuclear industry? The opinion poll shows that people in host towns have more positive attitude to the industry than in the region in general. The advantages from hosting a nuclear energy facility are more pronounced for the people living in the town than for the people in remote regions. In this case all campaigns against the use of peaceful atom, even with the application of cutting-edge technologies, will be futile. Such a situation can now be seen in Russia. Economic issues and maintenance of living standards are the top priorities for the society today. Therefore, green and anti-nuclear lobbies do not have any influence on the popular mentality. All their reasons and objections are shielded by the mass consciousness because nuclear energy is associated with stability, economic development, wellbeing and new jobs.

All these reasons, in my opinion, have produced the dynamics we see in the results of the opinion poll. I think that the nuclear energy industry should make full use of these positive attitudes of the society.