Press Releases
September 25, 2007
New Poll Finds Most Favor Nuclear Energy
Nearly 9 out of 10 New Jersey voters agree that more needs to be done to increase the state’s electricity supplies and, by a 2 to 1 margin, support the use of nuclear power to meet that need, according to a new poll released today by the New Jersey Affordable, Clean, Reliable Energy Coalition (NJ ACRE).
Although the survey showed a majority believe nuclear power to be safe, reliable, affordable and clean, most had no idea that more than half of the electricity consumed in New Jersey comes from nuclear energy plants, placing the figure instead at only 26 percent.
Speaking today at the New Jersey AFL-CIO conference in Atlantic City, Dr. Edward H. Salmon, chairman of the Coalition and a former president of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, told the assembled union leaders that the poll underscored the need to educate the public to all available clean energy options.
“We believe nuclear energy, with its proven ability to safely produce large amounts of base-load electricity with zero greenhouse gas emissions, must be part of New Jersey’s overall energy master plan – both in terms of meeting our growing demand for electricity and the need to reduce CO2 emissions,” said Dr. Salmon, who called for the re-licensing of Oyster Creek nuclear plant along with increased conservation measures and significant investment in renewable energy sources.
Highlights of the poll, which is available in its entirety at www.njacre.org, include:
- • Nearly 9-in-10 New Jersey voters think more needs to be done to increase energy supplies from New Jersey for the years ahead
- • By more than 2-to-1, New Jersey voters support the use of nuclear power in New Jersey
- • By more than 4-to-1, New Jersey voters say nuclear power operators do have a track record of operating in a safe manner.
- • By nearly 2-to-1, New Jersey voters think nuclear power plants are a clean way to provide New Jersey with power.
- • By more than 2-to-1, New Jersey voters think nuclear power plants are an affordable way to provide New Jersey with power.
- • Solar, wind and nuclear power top the list of sources to be developed to meet growing demand.
The poll, conducted by Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, has a sample size of 600 and a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.
The poll is the latest in a series of studies that reinforce the necessity of NJ ACRE and its mission to educate the public of the need to keep existing clean energy providers operational and to promote and support the development of new affordable clean sources, including nuclear power.
The new polls comes on the heels of a study by the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) which warned that without the continued operation of the state’s nuclear power plants, it will not be possible to meet New Jersey’s goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 10 percent over the next 11 years or the cooperative goals set by 10 Northeastern states to cut emissions from the generation of electricity, known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The report was conducted by the Polestar Applied Technology, Inc.
To learn more, please visit www.NJACRE.org
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The mission of the NJ Affordable, Clean, Reliable Energy Coalition is to generate public support for the production of clean, reliable, affordable, American energy to meet New Jersey's growing energy needs. The Coalition seeks to achieve this goal through increasing the public's awareness of the need to keep existing clean energy providers operational and to promote and support the development of new affordable clean sources.
The Coalition's immediate focus is to generate public support for renewal of the operating license of Oyster Creek Generating Station. The Coalition will increase public awareness about the benefits of Oyster Creek and the important role nuclear power plays in meeting New Jersey's electricity needs.
For more information, please contact:
Maury Donahue
for NJ ACRE
Phone:+1 (856) 308 3656
Maury@njacre.com