Spectral lines: Opinions on nuclear power

In an ABC News-Harris survey conducted in May, 52 percent of the general public said they favored nuclear power plants, and 42 percent said they did not. In contrast, a poll by Spectrum of IEEE members in the U.S. conducted at about the same time showed 83 percent of those responding favoring the further development and use of nuclear power, while 13 percent said they did not, and four percent did not respond to that question. However, many who told Spectrum they favored nuclear power did so with qualifications. Among the most frequently listed qualifications were requirements for better safety systems and a concern for nuclear waste disposal.