Risk perception, trust, and factors related to a planned new nuclear power plant in Taiwan after the 2011 Fukushima disaster

Abstract

After the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March 2011, an international review of nuclear safety indicated that two of the three nuclear power plants (NPPs) operating in Taiwan were listed as the most dangerous in the world. To understand the perception of NPP risks by the public in Taiwan and their attitudes regarding a planned fourth NPP after the Fukushima nuclear incident in 2011, a study was conducted in August 2011. A sample of 2819 individuals responded to the survey, with 66% perceiving that Taiwan's safety management of NPPs was inferior to Japan's, while 40% perceived a higher possibility of nuclear accidents like that in Japan. On average, a 'safe' distance of 94 km from an NPP was expected. 56% opposed the planned fourth NPP, with females (adjusted odd ratios (aOR) 2.03; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.71-2.41), residence near the planned fourth NPP (aOR/CI 13.90/7.79-24.80), distrust of safety management (aOR/CI 1.98/1.45-2.69) and emergency planning (aOR/CI 1.89/1.49-2.40) as the main determinants. Others included those who expected larger safe distances from an NPP (trend test, p < 0.001), perceived excess cancer risks of living within 30 km of an NPP (aOR/CI 2.74/2.02-3.71), and projection of no electric shortage without NPPs (aOR/CI 1.93/1.50-2.49). Given that Taiwan's large population lives close to the existing NPPs and long-term concerns about the safety of these nuclear plants, the Fukushima incident in Japan likely augmented public risk perceptions on nuclear power in general and on the planned fourth NPP.

Searching for the Next New Energy in Energy Transition: Comparing the Impacts of Economic Incentives on Local Acceptance of Fossil Fuels, Renewable, and Nuclear Energies

“…Visschers and Siegrist [38] show that perceived risks, rather than perceived benefits, before and after the Fukushima nuclear accident, have a negative impact on the acceptability of nuclear energy. Ho et al [49] show that nuclear risk perception is an important determinant in the planning of new nuclear power plants. According to Yamamura [19], perceived risks from nuclear accidents are positively related to experience with technical disasters.…”

Perceived environmental and health risks of nuclear energy in Taiwan after Fukushima nuclear disaster

“…Also, increasing concerns about potential nuclear accidents has reduced the support for nuclear energy in many other countries including America, Japan, Switzerland, UK and Taiwan since the Fukushima nuclear accident occurred in 2011 (Hixson, 2012;Ho et al, 2013;Ieong et al, 2014;Keller et al, 2012;World Nuclear News, 2012).…”

“…It indicated that the public poses concerns about nuclear power in Taiwan 2 years after Fukushima nuclear disaster. With an increasing anti-nuclear movement in progress, an expectance on the termination of operation of the planned 4th NPP has been ongoing to be discussed after Fukushima nuclear accident (Ho et al, 2013). It showed that trust was the key determinant of the acceptance of a new nuclear power plant and a very small proportion (17%) of respondents in Taiwan trusted the Government's nuclear safety management after Fukushima accident.…”

More than ever, comment on ‘Chernobyl and Fukushima—Where are we now?’

“…A number of studies were conducted to investigate public risk perception after the Fukushima accident in Japan and its neighboring countries such as Taiwan, South Korea and China [1][2][3][4][5][6][7].…”

“…while the general public in Taiwan and South Korea were concerned more about the safety of nuclear operation, potential large-scaled harm to the public, and other negative social consequences associated with nuclear accidents [3][4][5][6]. Most importantly, these studies showed a reverse association between risk perception and the public acceptance for nuclear facilities.…”