61 % of respondents are in favour of nuclear power and only 9 % against, according to a survey by Verian, commissioned by Finnish Energy. The data was collected between March and April 2024, with 1008 respondents.
Support for nuclear power has been measured since 1983 and the trend is strongly upwards. There are clear upward trends in 2004, when the Olkiluoto 3 project was starting, in 2019, when climate policy was strongly on the agenda in both the national parliamentary and European Parliament elections, and in 2022, when the energy crisis raised concerns about electricity supply and prices. The current 61 % approval rating is the second highest ever, excluding the energy crisis winter of 2023.
The results show that concerns about electricity prices have decreased with Olkiluoto 3 online, and more electricity generation being built. Strong support for nuclear power is important at a time when more clean electricity capacity is needed to reduce emissions from industry and transport and attract new industrial investment.
Emissions reductions in industry, and the electrification of transport and heating, will increase the demand for electricity, while district heating reactors will support emissions reductions in heating.
“The role of nuclear energy has also been more widely recognised in Brussels, as reflected not only in the interest in new solutions such as Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), but also in the European Commission’s Communication on the EU’s 2040 climate target”, says Jari Kostama, director of energy production at Finnish Energy (Energiateollisuus ry).
“There is still work to be done. A common European market for nuclear power plants would enable the benefits of serial production, and this requires a technology-neutral climate and energy policy from the EU, as well as cooperation between nuclear safety authorities in harmonising requirements”, Kostama continues.
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