Washington (Platts)--20Mar2009

"New high levels of support for nuclear power" in the US were found in a
Gallup Environment Poll released Friday.

In a telephone survey of 1,012 adults conducted March 5-8, 59% of
respondents said they "favor the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to
provide electricity for the US," and 27% "strongly favor it."

Gallup said "a majority of Americans, 56%, believe nuclear power plants
are safe, but a substantial minority of 42% disagree."

In 2009, "both Republicans and Democrats show their highest level of
support for using nuclear energy since 2001. However, Republicans continue to
be much more in favor of it than Democrats are, 71% to 52%," the polling firm
said. And "while 73% of Republicans are confident in the safety of nuclear
power plants, only 46% of Democrats agree."

"Although most Americans support the use of nuclear energy, the level is
hardly an overwhelming majority. And there remain concerns among a substantial
minority of Americans about the safety of nuclear power plants," Gallup said.

--Steven Dolley, steven_dolley@platts.com