Nuclear in the UK: A shift in public perception?

The UK is on a mission to reach 24 GW of nuclear by 2050. Meeting that target is essential if we are to meet key climate targets and sure up energy security. Given where are now with 5.9 GW, it’s a tall order, but an achievable one if the right action is taken.

The fact that we even have a target at all is proof of a shift in political thinking around nuclear, which is a far cry from where we were only a few years ago. But change needs to happen across the board, from the bottom as well as the top, for a real shift to take place.

We are starting to see that change happen. For over fifteen years the NIA has been tracking attitudes towards nuclear and every year we learn something new. The polling, which is carried out by YouGov, of a sample of around 2,000 people, measures the national mood, so what do this years’ numbers tell us?

The appetite for Britain having a mix of energy sources to ensure a reliable electricity supply is greater than ever, with 81% of those polled agreeing that we need it. It’s the highest proportion since tracking began back in 2005. Those who disagree remains consistent at 9%. It is also encouraging to see support for building new stations increase, with half of people polled saying they back new build. The top motivator being that it will provide a new energy source (68%).

Favourability of the industry has also risen, now at 34%, which is on par with 2007 levels. Unfavorability has continued to decline since 2019, bringing it in line with the 17% we saw in 2010, the lowest since we started tracking. Job creation (59%) has surpassed reliability (57%) as the most commonly mentioned advantage of nuclear energy, while preventing climate change (43%) has risen to the third most mentioned advantage.

Nuclear’s role in bringing jobs and investment to local communities is one of the industry’s enormous benefits, and for the fourth year in a row it is the most popular energy source for those two issues. Nuclear is also seen as the most popular choice for keeping the lights on.

But there is still work to be done. The number of people who see nuclear as ‘low-carbon’ has fallen slightly, with safety and cost still the most commonly mentioned disadvantages. That is despite the science telling us that nuclear has the lowest lifecycle carbon of all technologies as well as having one of the best safety records of all energy sources. On cost, we know that more nuclear will mean less expensive fossil fuel and cheaper energy bills.

There remains too a gender split, with women significantly less likely to be favourable to nuclear compared to men. This is not unexpected, with polls and surveys consistently finding a wide gender gap on nuclear going back decades. Attracting more women and girls into science and engineering fields would go a long way in changing those numbers.

When looking at the separate UK nations, the poll presented some interesting numbers, particularly in Scotland where 44% backed replacing the current stations, versus 28% who opposed. Admittedly, this was a very small sample, but a separate poll carried out by Opinium for Britain Remade, the pro-growth group, threw up some similar numbers. Over half (55%) said they would back new nuclear projects in the country if it meant helping them reach net zero targets, which of course it would. 29% were against.

Interestingly, among SNP voters, 44% believed nuclear power should be included in Scotland’s energy mix, with 39% opposing. This, from a party that has been very vocal in its opposition to nuclear.

It is often the case that the more people know about nuclear, the more likely they are to be positive of it, which is partly what is driving these shifts in perception. From the energy crisis pushing up gas prices to the War in Ukraine highlighting the need for greater energy security, nuclear is having its moment when both political support, at least from the two main UK parties, and public support is in tune.