Public opinion survey on nuclear energy in Indonesia: Understanding public perception on nuclear power plant program

Abstract

For the first time in Indonesia, public opinion survey on nuclear energy was conducted from 2010 to 2016. The sample size of 3000-4000 respondents was spread across various provinces, with a margin of error of +/- 1.8% at a confidence level of 95.0%. The sampling technique used is a combination of multistage random sampling and simple random sampling. The survey results show that the level of public support nationally is above 70% in the last 3 years, despite the NIMBY phenomenon in Bangka-Belitung. The results also show that, the NPP promotion activity which is integrated between the Central and Regional Governments, is followed by several incentives for infrastructure development for the prospective NPP site which are expected to be able to minimize the NIMBY phenomenon. Nationally, high support for the NPP program, possibly due to the urgent need for stable and reliable electricity. TV media is the most effective tool for socialization, while economically, radio can be chosen as a promotional tool with wide reach nationally. The uniqueness of Indonesia is, the government is still very trusted by the public, so that the public expects an explanation from the Government on the benefits and risks of the nuclear power plant program. Promotions targeting women are expected to have a significant impact on the high level of public support for the NPP program.