Timeline

1
Timeline
A Chronology of Public Opinion on Nuclear Power
in the United States and United Kingdom
Stephanie Dalquist 14 May 2004 22.811
2
Nuclear age in America

• 60 years of science, military to commercial
• 111 generators, 20 of electricity
• Once hailed as the beginning of the future
  (1953)
• But no new plantsonline in the U.S.since 1974

3
Dawn of the atom

• First self-sustaining nuclear reaction, Enrico
  Fermi, 1942, Chicago
• Truman creates the Atomic Energy Commission to
  develop the nations nuclear energy capabilities
  and explore peaceful uses of atomic energy
• Swords into Plowshares, 1946
• Dick Tracy gets an atom-powered two-way wrist
  radio

4
1950s Miracles and fear

• Nuclear dreams
• Increased press attention
• Predict a generator in every home
• First commercial plant opens in 1957
• Atomic nightmares
• Scientific American forced to burn entire run
• Govt lies about hazards in NV, Atolls
• Shippingport protests military ownership,
  involvement
• AEC learns that visitors leave info center
  feeling more hope and less fear

5
1960s Reassurance

• Continued secrecy
• 200 lbs of uranium disappear from Pennsylvania,
  covered upDont tell anyone. Dont tell
  McNamara, dont tell Rusk.
• Study of effects of meltdown buried, would affect
  an areaequal to that of the state of
  Pennsylvania
• Pop culture symbolism of fear Kryptonite, Hulk
• PR shifts towards reassurance, Nuclear industry
  spending more on PR than any other

6
1970s A change of heart

• 1973 energy crisis
• High energy costs drives push for renewables
• Does not extend to nuclear power
• Costs high protest, interest rates, inflation
• Electricity demand stabilizes, drops
• Increased emissions standards, regulatory issues
• Plant cancellations rise, orders stop
• 42 orders in 73, 24 in 74, 0 afterwards
• Direct action protests begin in Seabrook

7
1979 Three Mile Island

• Accident in Penn. generator causes core meltdown
• The China Syndrome omen, tagline
• Lost confidence from bad communication
• Spontaneous energetic disassembly, MetEd VP
• Ambiguous information about release none, small
  amount, unknown

8
Drop in support By the numbers

• Support drop sharply in 70s, before TMI.
  Resurgence before Chernobyl. Small impact of
  Chernobyl on U.S.
• Support on building in respondents local area
  lower than in general, unless they already live
  near a plant

9
1980 Last hope, Chernobyl

• By 1980, 18 billion spent by Congress, fuel
  cycle entirely private
• Cost of construction now 3500/kW
• 200 for Shippingport, 750/kW in early 70s
• Blamed on licensure divorced from the actual
  technology and public opposition
• Protests in Cayuga Lake, NY, cost NYSEG100,000
  for each day of delay
• Chernobyl yields slight downturn in opinion
• USSR welcomes journalists, scientists

10
The nuclear opponent

• Opposition from differing values, not irrational
  fears
• Pros weighted economic priorities higher than
  environmental and societal health
• Higher priority on economics also linked to
  economic optimism and conservative views
• Opponents typically urban, young, female, more
  educated. Become targets of PR.

11
Nuclear-Vietnam War connection

• Connection deeper than dissatisfaction with
  social and economic structure
• Clamshell Alliance
• Attacks fight the establishments use of nuclear
  power as a tool for dominating ordinary citizens
• Same tactics as Vietnam War protesters
• Got attention in NH, but talked about social
  injustice instead of nuclear power
• Boston anti-nuclear activists experienced
• 1/3 started protesting in Vietnam, 1/2 protested
  War

12
Across the pond History

• Another early leader in nuclear power
• Early accidents at Windscale 7-day fire
• Symbolic dumping of milk contaminated with
  Iodine-131
• Early 80s dip in confidence after journalists
  find leukemia clusters in Sellafield
• Opponents and PR similar to U.S.
• less direct confrontation

13
Across the pond Future

• Differences from the U.S.
• Did not participate in Vietnam War
• Admins forthcoming about risks like TMI
• In the path of Chernobyls fallout

14
Where we are (going)

• Nuclear power will come into the public eye again
  by 2010
• Some countries resolve to shut down plants
• Relicensure of older plants likely
• Where this is not appropriate, additional
  generators on the same site probable
• New plants will be accepted only under changed
  organizational circumstances
• Stakeholder interests and public support critical
  to renewal of industry

15
How to get there

• Strive to be open in policy decisions and
  government support
• Eliminate remains of the culture of secrecy
• Ensure a fully democratic process, rather than
  relying on administrative decisions
• Publicly discuss values and how nuclear fits in
• Clarify regulatory procedure
• Develop communication programs
• Inform of, but do not overemphasize, risk
• Avoid representing nuclear as perfectly safe