Most north country residents want to know more about nuclear power, survey says

WATERTOWN — Jefferson Community College’s Center for Community Studies has released the results of its survey where they asked New Yorkers their opinion on nuclear power.

“It is our first time that we did an entire statewide sample and it was exciting and challenging and terrifying,” Joel LaLone, research director for the Center for Community Studies said. “We’re really happy with how it went.”

The study states that between Oct. 21-25 a mixed-mode sampling method of contact was used for the study to a total of 2,109 respondents of the four-county region. Surveys were done by 593 residents in Jefferson County, 515 Lewis County residents, 472 Oswego County residents, and 529 St. Lawrence County residents.

Of the people surveyed, 61% of those across the four-county region said they need to learn more about advanced nuclear energy before deciding whether or not they approve or oppose it. Statewide, that number is at 64%.

32% of those surveyed in the four-county region say they are familiar with it and support it, while 8% say they are familiar with advanced nuclear power and oppose it.

“There is more support than opposition clearly up here,” LaLone said. “But there’s also more support than opposition when you take an entire statewide look.”

Across the state, the center found that 23% of those surveyed stated they knew enough about advanced nuclear energy supported it, 12% said they were opposed, and 64% stated they needed to learn more.

The overwhelming majority of those surveyed stated that the affordability of electricity is extremely or very important. Overall, 91% of those in the four-county region say it is extremely or somewhat important and 89% statewide agree.

Four potential concerns were studied, and those surveyed in the four-county region were most concerned about the impact on long term electricity rates with 61% of those in the four-county region stating they are very or somewhat concerned.

However, statewide, 69% of those surveyed were very or somewhat concerned about the handling of spent fuel, which was the highest.

Most of those surveyed in the four-county region also stated that they have heard about advanced nuclear energy generation power plants, as 49% said they have heard something about the plants. That number shrinks drastically for the state as only 33% stated they have heard about the power plants.

42% of those surveyed in the four-county region stated they had not heard about it, and 9% said they didn’t know.

56% of those surveyed statewide say they have not heard about advanced nuclear energy and only 11% said they weren’t sure.

The study reads, in part that “ it is clear that a majority of residents wish to learn more about Advanced Nuclear Energy before confidently making a personal decision about support versus opposition.”

This survey was done as a subset of the annual omnibus survey of the attitudes and opinions of adult residents of the region.

LaLone said they are proud that their survey/research component are aligning with a forum for public education and input, that they were able to get a representative sample from the entire state, and get the provided data to look at.

The survey is made possible by the financial support of Jefferson Community College, CarFreshner, Inc., the Northern New York Community Foundation, and the Lewis County Board of Legislature.

The statewide study was funded solely by Jefferson Community College.

Most north country residents want to know more about nuclear power, survey says | Jefferson County News | nny360.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Comment Acknowledgement for Matter Number - 21-00749 : Msg. Tracking No.: 58

  Noise from Cassadaga June 26 LEAF OFF RSG Report . Case # 14-F-0490 DMM 891. Cause1 - icing remedy was to shut down turbine.  Please note shut down is required. A new software detection was added. Cause2  -inflow turbulence due to close configuartion of multiple turbines. Wind WAKE? Under its Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need (“Certificate”), the 126 MW Cassadaga Wind project (“Project”) is required to conduct post construction sound monitoring to assess compliance with specified noise limits. Sound monitoring was initially conducted during the 2021/2022 “Leaf-Off” season. This found that the Charlotte Town noise standard was exceeded around the Nordex wind turbines during certain periods when the blades were iced. In 2022, Cassadaga Wind took steps to implement mitigation to shut down certain wind turbines when icing was detected. The Project was retested in the 2022/2023 Leaf-Off season. During that monitoring period, one hour at monitoring lo...
Read more

Trump’s Executive Order Throws Caution to the Wind (and Solar)

  Enacted in August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (the “IRA”) expanded energy tax credits by increasing credit amounts, broadening eligibility beyond wind and solar, and allowing credits to be developed and sold, as outlined  here . The winds have now shifted . Two years later, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (the “OBBBA”) slows that momentum by  delivering a final blow to wind and solar , terminating the tech-neutral investment tax credit (“ITC”) and production tax credit (“PTC”) for projects that are not placed in service before 2028, with a safe harbor for projects that begin construction within 12 months of enactment. The OBBBA also  introduces sweeping “foreign entity of concern” limitations that could disqualify many projects from the credits entirely. The wind-down  doesn’t stop there . On July 7, Trump issued an  executive order  giving Treasury 45 days to issue new guidance on what it means to begin construction, dispelling any doubt about ...
Read more

Fort Drum eyed as site for nuc plant

  FORT DRUM, New York (WWNY) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has determined a small nuclear reactor would be “the optimal option” to supply Fort Drum’s energy needs. Governor Hochul and state officials met with Fort Drum officials and discussed the possibility of locating a “small modular reactor” on Drum when the governor visited Drum in August, 7 News learned. If a “small modular reactor” (SMR) is successful on Drum, additional reactors might be deployed throughout the state to help New York meet its renewable energy goals. Small modular reactors are, as their name suggests,  much smaller than traditional nuclear reactors, like the ones near Oswego . They also incorporate newer generations of nuclear technology. Proponents argue they are safer and far less costly than traditional nuclear plants. Drum needs about 60 megawatts of power. Since a biomass plant on post which burned wood closed in 2023, Drum has been forced to draw its energy off the regular power grid, the one...
Read more