Momentum Builds for Nuclear as Americans Push for Clean Energy Solutions
Nearly three in five Americans (58 percent) now support nuclear power, with one in five (21 percent) strongly supportive, according to the eighth consecutive ecoAmerica Climate Perspectives Survey. The annual survey tracks shifting public attitudes toward energy, climate, and technology solutions. Support for nuclear power has grown steadily since 2018, when fewer than half of Americans (49 percent) expressed support.
Strong Support for Converting Retired Coal Plants Into Nuclear Facilities
In a striking sign of momentum, nearly three-quarters of Americans (73 percent) say they support repurposing retired coal-fired power plants into nuclear facilities to deliver clean, reliable electricity. Support cuts across party lines, with a strong bipartisan consensus of 77 percent. Generationally, older adults (65+) lead the way at 78 percent support, with younger adults (18–24) close behind at 71 percent.
Rising Public Support for Nuclear Power
Public support for nuclear energy continues to rise nationwide. Nearly three in five Americans now favor nuclear power (58 percent), up from 49 percent in 2018. Support is particularly strong among Republicans (68 percent), males (66 percent), and older adults (65 percent).
Growing Support Across Motivations
Americans’ reasons for backing nuclear are broad and expanding. Reliability stands out as the top motivation, with 74 percent of respondents saying nuclear power generates electricity reliably. Other leading reasons include its ability to strengthen U.S. competitiveness, reduce pollution, and enhance energy independence. Support for these reasons has grown consistently since 2018, demonstrating durable bipartisan appeal.
Bipartisan Support for Nuclear R&D
Support for next-generation nuclear research and development remains strong, with nearly three in five Americans (58 percent) favoring increased federal investment. Among energy options, nuclear R&D shows the least partisan divide, underscoring common ground between Democrats and Republicans compared to more divisive sources like oil, coal, or natural gas.
Waning Concerns About Nuclear
Concerns about nuclear energy continue to decline across the political spectrum. While health and safety and waste disposal remain top issues, both have seen significant drops since 2018, particularly among Democrats and Independents. This downward trend suggests Americans are becoming more comfortable with nuclear as part of the clean energy transition.
“Public perception plays a major role in how energy technologies are chosen, but perception often deviates from scientific reality,” said Guido Nuñez-Mujica, director of data science for Anthropocene Institute. “That’s why we track perception: it should be informed by science, not shaped by scary movies, headlines, or PR from competing technologies. We conduct this survey every year to understand where public opinion stands so we can help align it with the facts and move toward evidence-based energy solutions.”
Public support for nuclear energy in the United States has reached its highest level in years, reflecting growing confidence in the technology’s role in achieving a clean, reliable energy future. According to the eighth annual ecoAmerica Climate Perspectives Survey, nearly three in five Americans (58%) now support nuclear power—up sharply from 49% in 2018—with one in five expressing strong support. Momentum is especially evident in public backing for converting retired coal-fired plants into nuclear facilities, an idea favored by 73% of respondents across political and generational lines.
Reliability remains the top driver of this rising approval, with 74% citing nuclear’s consistent power generation as a key strength, followed by its contributions to U.S. competitiveness, pollution reduction, and energy independence. Support for increased federal investment in next-generation nuclear R&D remains robust, reflecting a rare point of bipartisan agreement in the national energy debate. Meanwhile, concerns about nuclear safety and waste disposal continue to decline, signaling growing public comfort with nuclear power as a cornerstone of America’s clean energy transition.
As Guido Nuñez-Mujica of the Anthropocene Institute notes, the findings highlight a crucial shift: public perception is increasingly aligning with scientific evidence, paving the way for informed, evidence-based energy solutions.
About Anthropocene Institute
Anthropocene Institute comprises scientists, engineers, communicators, marketers, thought leaders, and advocates — all pulling together toward a common goal: make the Earth abundant for all and sustainable for decades to come.
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