Survey: Less Swedes support nuclear power

A new survey reveals that half of Swedes do not want nuclear power after theFukushima meltdown in Japan in 2011, local media reported on Saturday.The study, carried out by the SOM Institute at the University of Gothenburg showsthat 50 percent interviewed said they wanted to phase out nuclear power source,while in 2011, after the Fukushima disaster, the same study showed 44 percent ofrespondents said no to nuclear power. In the 2007 study, only 31 percent of respondents said they wanted to phase thepower source out"The figures follow the same trend of public opinion reacting to a disaster", saidSoren Holmberg, professor of political science at the University of Gothenburg wasquoted by Local as saying.Holmberg also told the TT news agency, "after the accidents at Chernobyl (1986) andThree Mile (1979) the support for nuclear power declined initially." Following the Chernobyl meltdown, Swedes surveyed who said no to nuclear power reached arecord high of 75 percent in the 1986 survey.Sweden opened its first nuclear power plant in 1972. At present the country has 10nuclear reactors at three plants, the largest one in Gothenburg. It's estimated that35 percent of all electricity in the country is produced by nuclear plants.Holmberg told Local that, Sweden needed to emulate countries like Switzerland byphasing out the controversial power source, while considering alternative sources ofenergy, such as wind power