1 / 15

Timeline

A Chronology of Public Opinion on Nuclear Power in the United States and United Kingdom. Timeline. Stephanie Dalquist 14 May 2004 22.811. Nuclear age in America. 60 years of science, military to commercial 111 generators, 20% of electricity

peri
Télécharger la présentation

Timeline

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. A Chronology of Public Opinion on Nuclear Power in the United States and United Kingdom Timeline 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 nation’s 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 • Gov’t 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 up“Don’t tell anyone. Don’t tell McNamara, don’t tell Rusk.” • Study of effects of meltdown buried, would affect an area“equal 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 NYSE&G$100,000 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 establishment’s 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 Chernobyl’s 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

More Related