Public (UK) backs Government subsidy for new nuclear

[FBaggins]

A new poll by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers has found that 43% of the public would support a Government subsidy for the construction of new nuclear power in the UK – which compares with just 28% who said they would not. According to the poll of over 2,000 members of the public, 46% of the public say they want new nuclear power stations to be built in the UK, compared with 29% who said they did not.

Dr Tim Fox, Head of Energy and Environment at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said: “For years now Government has been reluctant to offer nuclear power developers an overt subsidy, partly out of fear of the public back-lash. These poll results show that these fears could be unwarranted.

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The poll asked people who supported the construction of new nuclear power in the UK their reasons for their support. 70% said because nuclear power plants ensure a secure supply of electricity; 55% said because nuclear is low carbon; 50% because nuclear is reliable; 50% said because nuclear power plants provide jobs; while 43% said because nuclear power is cheaper than other forms of electricity generation.

Of the people who do not support the construction of new nuclear in the UK (less than one third of those polled), the vast majority (73%) said that this was because nuclear power is dangerous; while 70% said because of issues related to nuclear waste and less than a quarter cited the cost as an issue.

http://www.imeche.org/news/archives/2013/05/28/Public_backs_Government_subsidy_for_new_nuclear