As Utah’s leaders invite nuclear energy firms like Valar Atomics to build within the state, how are residents feeling about it?
Public sentiment surrounding nuclear power has ebbed and flowed over the years, but for the last decade, it’s been on the up and up, Pew Research reported. Nationwide, 59% of Americans said they favored more nuclear reactors being built in the country.
Utahns rank a bit lower than the national average in their support for expanding nuclear power in the state — at 52% favorability, a new Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll, conducted by Morning Consult, found.
However, that percentage varies widely among different demographics.
The most notable divide in sentiment falls along lines of sex and political affiliation.
Men are much more likely to support nuclear power than women: 80% of Republican men, 71% of independent men and 38% of Democratic men supported expanding Utah’s nuclear power production.
About half of Republican men (48%) and independent men (47%) said they strongly supported expanding the state’s nuclear power. Only 17% of Democratic men said same.
Meanwhile, 16% of Republican women, 13% of independent women, and 4% of Democratic women strongly supported expanding Utah’s nuclear energy production.
Republican women were the only group that was more likely (38%) to say they didn’t know what Utah should do about nuclear power rather than express an opinion.
About half of Democratic women (48%) were opposed to nuclear power, while Democratic men were just slightly less opposed at 41%.
Age plays factor in liking nuclear power
Boomers were the most likely age group to strongly oppose nuclear energy. This is likely due to memories of several nuclear power disasters, including Chernobyl (1986) and Three Mile Island (1979).
Millennials, on the other hand, were the most likely age group to strongly support nuclear power expansion, followed by Gen Xers.
The most likely age group to either somewhat or strongly support nuclear power in Utah were individuals aged 45-64. Nearly 6 in 10 in this age group said they supported nuclear energy.
- Ages 18-34: 51% somewhat or strongly supported.
- Ages 35-44: 53% somewhat or strongly supported.
- Ages 45-64: 59% somewhat or strongly supported.
- Ages 65-plus: 46% somewhat or strongly supported.
Reported uncertainty about nuclear power generally decreased with age. Those under 44 were much more likely than those 45 and older to not know what they thought about nuclear energy.
- Ages 18-34: 24% didn’t know.
- Ages 35-44: 27% didn’t know.
- Ages 45-65: 14% didn’t know.
- Ages 65-plus: 17% didn’t know.
Simultaneously, about a quarter of all groups under 64 were either somewhat or strongly opposed to the state expanding nuclear energy. Meanwhile, a little more than a third of the 65-plus group was opposed.
- Ages 18-34: 25% somewhat or strongly opposed.
- Ages 35-44: 20% somewhat or strongly opposed.
- Ages 45-64: 27% somewhat or strongly opposed.
- Ages 65-plus: 37% somewhat or strongly opposed.
Support for nuclear energy rose as respondents’ incomes increased. Those making under $50,000 annually were the least likely to support expanding nuclear energy, while those making more than $100,000 were the most likely.