Stichting Laka

Publicatie Laka-bibliotheek:
Timeline: A Chronology of Public Opinion on Nuclear Power in the United States and United Kingdom (2004)

Auteur	Stephanie Dalquist
	-
Datum	april 2004
Classificatie	3.01.0.00/38 (VS - ALGEMEEN)
Voorkant

1 Introduction: Growing up together

This year, 111 nuclear power generators will provide approximately 20% of the 
nation's total electricity (1). Commercial nuclear generators are distributed unevenly 
throughout the country. There are more in the densely populated and industrialized 
East (Figure 1). On the other side of the Mississippi, sparse population and 
manufacturing results in lower electricity demands which are met with easily-
accessible coal. That coal may become even more important if, as the EIA predicts 
(2), nearly 40% of US nuclear capacity shuts down within the next twenty years.

It is unlikely that new nuclear plants will replace the decommissioned ones unless 
public opinion towards nuclear power changes. People most fear risks (3,4)
• That are imposed, rather than self-selected
• Where the source of danger cannot be easily identified by the senses
• Where possible harm may be manifest only after a long period, and
• That arise from a novel activity.
All of these are characteristics of nuclear power. In addition, organizational 
problems and risk availability increase the general trend of fear.

Opposition of nuclear power first developed because of its military connections. 
The technology originally came from military submarines, and the first commercial 
plant in the US was even owned by the US Navy (5). Secrecy was a fundamental 
component of the military project which carried over to the nascent civilian projects.

Deze publicatie is digitaal beschikbaar in de Laka-biblitoheek maar de pdf staat niet online.
Mail ons (info@laka.org) als u de pdf toegestuurd wilt krijgen (met onderwerp, volgnummer en titel). U kunt natuurlijk ook langskomen.