Post-Fukushima public acceptance on resuming the nuclear power program in China

This study investigates social perceptions, electricity preference, management instruments towards nuclear power in China, and evaluates the extent of opposing nuclear power by estimating public Willingness-To-Pay (WTP) to prevent a nuclear power plant from being constructed in their local cities and the neighboring cities. It is pretty important to understand the public sentiment towards recommencement of nuclear programs, since public acceptance of nuclear energy is one of the determinants for government establishment of a new nuclear project. Especially, the Chinese government has resumed the approval of new nuclear power plants and planned to expand this industry in the post-Fukushima world. The findings show that most of the respondents care about the development of nuclear power in China. The publics are a bit skeptical about the security of nuclear power, since they are worried about nuclear accidents. In addition, the government is requested to improve policy transparency, which is seen as an essential way of alleviating the public nuclear anxieties in China. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.