@ISIDEWITHQuestionsscienceStarted 8yrs agoActive 10hrs ago

Do you support the use of nuclear energy?

As of August 2022, the UK has 9 operational nuclear reactors at five locations (8 advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGR) and one pressurised water reactor (PWR)), producing 5.9 GWe. It also has nuclear reprocessing plants at Sellafield and the Tails Management Facility (TMF) operated by Urenco in Capenhurst. In November 2022 French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to engage in “ambitious cooperation” with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on nuclear energy amid fears that fuel imports from Russia will plummet this winter.

+
Expand
+ Settings

Toggle voterbase

Statistics are shown for this demographic

Answer Overview

Response rates from 2.5m UK voters.

60%
Yes
40%
No
45%
Yes
28%
No
12%
Yes, temporarily while we increase investment into cleaner renewable alternatives
12%
No, we should invest in cleaner alternatives such as wind, hydroelectric, thorium, and geothermal
1%
Yes, as long as there is no public subsidy
1%
Yes, and nationalise the industry
0%
Yes, but with public subsidy

Historical Support

Trend of support over time for each answer from 2.5m UK voters.

Loading data...

Loading chart... 

Historical Importance

Trend of how important this issue is for 2.5m UK voters.

Loading data...

Loading chart... 

Other Popular Answers

Unique answers from UK voters whose views went beyond the provided options.

 @9MXP7XJanswered…7mos7MO

Yes, but in moderation and we should invest more into cleaner and safer alternatives such as wind, Solar, hydroelectric, thorium, geothermal and biofuels

 @8RTTDQVanswered…4yrs4Y

Don’t care won’t be there to see the world burn sadly

 @9N5XJ9Vanswered…7mos7MO

Yes, it is the cleanest source of power per MW and the only viable option to achieve net zero in combination with wind and solar. Waste generation is a concern for all energy sources and already well understood for the UK nuclear industry.

 @93WNHXKanswered…2yrs2Y

Yes, as long as there is strict training of nuclear power plant workers and thorough, regular monitoring and review of equipment functionality, energy release and measures to mitigate potential hazards.

 @8R5M6PWanswered…4yrs4Y

doesnt effect me personally

 @9VPPYQHanswered…2mos2MO

Yes, and nationalise the industry, and invest in renewables such as wind and solar which can be constructed quicker than nuclear power plants.

 @9V44C4Nanswered…3mos3MO

Yes, as long as for self-defence and for anti-malicious intent. And only if the situation REALLY calls for it.

 @9TWB3T8answered…3mos3MO

Yes, but only reactor models without the possibility of meltdowns and no radioactive long term waste. Additionally, it should not be in private hands.

Latest News

Stay up-to-date on the most recent “Nuclear Energy” news articles, updated frequently.

 @ISIDEWITH submitted…8mos8MO

The Fantasy of Reviving Nuclear Energy

Representatives from more than 30 countries gathered in Brussels in March at a nuclear summit hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Belgian government. Thirty-four nations, including the United States and China, agreed “to work to fully unlock the potential of nuclear energy,” including extending the lifetime of existing reactors, building new nuclear power plants and deploying advanced reactors.“Nuclear technology can play an important role in the clean energy transition,” Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, told summit attendees. But she added that “the reality today, in most markets, is a reality of a slow but steady decline in market share” for nuclear powerThe numbers underscore that downturn. Solar and wind power together began outperforming nuclear power globally in 2021, and that trend continues as nuclear staggers along. Solar alone added more than 400 gigawatts of capacity worldwide last year, two-thirds more than the previous year. That’s more than the roughly 375 gigawatts of combined capacity of the world’s 415 nuclear reactors, which remained relatively unchanged last year. Pledging to triple nuclear capacity by 2050 is a little like promising to win the lottery.For the United States, it would mean adding an additional 200 gigawatts of nuclear operating capacity (almost double what the country has ever built) to the 100 gigawatts or so that now exists, generated by more than 90 commercial reactors that have been running an average of 42 years. Globally it would mean tripling the existing capacity built over the past 70 years in less than half that time in addition to replacing reactors that will shut down before 2050.The Energy Department estimates the total cost of such an effort in the United States at roughly $700 billion. For much less money and in less time, the world can reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the use of renewables like solar, wind, hydropower and geothermal power.

3 replies

 @JudiciaryPiper from Illinois submitted…5mos5MO

Russian nuclear power plant workers injured in Ukrainian attack

A Ukrainian attack on a substation used by the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant has injured eight employees of the facility, officials reported on Wednesday.Kiev allegedly launched three quadcopter-type kamikaze drones at the Raduga facility in Energodar, the city hosting Europe’s largest nuclear power station. The injured workers were part of a crew that was repairing the damage caused by a previous Ukrainian attack, the statement claimed. At least one worker is said to be in a serious condition.The initial strike on the Raduga substation happened two weeks ago and was confirmed by a monitoring mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s nuclear watchdog. Another site called Luch was hit in a separate strike.Neither station is critical for the work of the nuclear power plant, but its secondary facilities depend on them for power supplies. The strike on Wednesday once again disrupted the grid after both Raduga transformers were damaged.The IAEA has declined to attribute the attacks on substations in Energodar, but its chief, Rafael Grossi, has stressed that “whoever is behind this, it must stop.”“Drone usage against the plant and its vicinity is becoming increasingly more frequent. This is completely unacceptable and it runs counter to the safety pillars and concrete principles which have been accepted unanimously,” the official said.

▲  112 replies

Popular Conversations

Join in on the most popular conversations.