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American Morning

Gallup Poll: What Americans Think of Nuclear Power

Aired May 04, 2001 - 09:21   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush has ordered federal agencies to cut power use to conserve energy, coming just days after Vice President Dick Cheney warned that the whole nation could face blackouts unless new energy sources are found. One new energy source under consideration for the first time in a long time is actually an old source. Could there be a nuclear solution to energy shortages?

For that story, let's go to CNN's Jeanne Meserve in Washington -- Jeanne, good morning.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Stephen.

Well, two powerful Senate chairman think so. They are publicly backing nuclear energy as part of the long-term solution to energy shortfalls. At a joint hearing yesterday, Senators Pete Domenici and Frank Murkowski stressed the need for a nuclear component in national energy policy. And a bill was introduced to encourage building new facilities; 103 nuclear reactors are running in 31 states.

They provide about 20 percent of the nation's electrical power. But since the Chernobyl accident in 1986, expansion of the nuclear power industry has been politically unfeasible. And at the hearing, an industry representative said public acceptance is its biggest challenge. Indeed, the group Public Citizen is calling the committee's promotion of nuclear power thoroughly irresponsible.

So how does the public feel about this issue?

Here's Frank Newport with some Gallup data on energy questions -- Frank.

FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: First of all, there's no question that, when we ask Americans to look ahead, they say: Oops, we may in fact be in for a critical energy shortage. Those are the words we used. And 60 percent tell us that, within five years, they believe there could be a critical -- and that's the word we used -- energy shortage.

And that's a lot higher when you jump back to 1978 than we found. However -- and here's the rub -- when we ask Americans: more production -- like nuclear -- we'll talk about in a second -- or conservation -- which is what Bush has now come back to a little in California -- 56 percent have opted consistently, when we ask this type of question, for conservation, Jeanne, over production. So there's a real issue there.

MESERVE: And, Frank, where specifically is the public on the question of nuclear power?

NEWPORT: Well, it's mixed. And we've got the real not-in-my- backyard phenomena that I think you alluded to just a moment ago, as you were reviewing some of what happened in that Senate committee.

Overall, nationally, do you favor or oppose nuclear power, expansion of nuclear power?

It breaks even. You can see 48 for, 46 against. That's way below the percent who favor things like solar and wind and conservation. Look at this, however. We say: Do you favor building more nuclear plants in your local area? Well, it drops down to 30 for and 63 percent say no. So that's really going to be the problem there is, nobody wants them in their backyard. And it's even mixed to begin with.

However, out in the West Coast, we broke this out regionally: Do you favor or oppose the use of nuclear power?

And look at this, Jeanne. In the East, Midwest and South, it's about, oh, right at the 40 percent range. But out in the West, probably because of what they've been experiencing, it jumps all the way up to 56 percent. So if there's anywhere it is going to work, probably it's the people out on the West Coast that are going to be more in favor of it, all told.

Jeanne, that's where the public stands at this point.

MESERVE: Frank Newport, thanks so much for all those latest numbers. And more nuclear generation is expected to be a component of the recommendations of the energy task force -- its report due mid- month -- now back to Atlanta.

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