Growing Public Support for Nuclear Energy in the US Despite Lingering Concerns

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A study by the University of Michigan, published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, examines U.S. public sentiment toward nuclear energy by analyzing 300,000 posts on X (formerly Twitter). The research reveals a generally positive outlook on nuclear energy, with 54% of the posts expressing positive sentiment, compared to 23% negative and 50% neutral. This indicates that while there is more positive sentiment overall, concerns about waste, cost, and safety remain significant.

The study utilized social media data, which offers a broad and cost-effective means to gauge public opinion compared to traditional surveys. Researchers analyzed 1.26 million X posts from 2008 to 2023, applying large language models (LLMs) to categorize the posts as positive, negative, or neutral. They found that technological advancements, such as safety, reliability, and energy density improvements, contributed to positive sentiments. Job creation and the role of nuclear energy in transitioning to clean energy also fueled positive responses.

Conversely, concerns about radioactive waste, its long-term disposal, and the high costs of nuclear power were prevalent in negative posts. The study underscores the need for transparency about waste management to address these concerns and build public trust.

The researchers also developed a method to reduce bias in sentiment analysis by using multiple data labelling tools and selecting the final label based on a majority rule. This approach improved model accuracy to 96%.

Looking ahead, the research team plans to expand their analysis to include real-time sentiment tracking across various social media platforms and news sources. This will help stakeholders better understand and respond to public concerns about nuclear energy as the transition to clean energy progresses.