Public Attitude Towards Nuclear Power in Kazakhstan

The data are from personal interviews with 113 adults from Astana, Kazakhstan and 91 adults from Aktau, Kazakhstan. The information gathered pertained to the acceptance of nuclear power, perceived safety risks of nuclear power, perceived environmental risks of nuclear power, compensation effects, socioeconomic characteristics, and previous experience with the nuclear industry. Our empirical goals were: (1) to determine whether personal attitudes held by laypeople in Aktau and Astana are significantly different as the result of the historical association with NPPs and (2) to re-examine the types and magnitudes of associations that affect laypeople’s level of support for NPPs. Our results show the expected associations of support for nuclear power and safety and environmental risks, perceived benefits from increased jobs, and children at home. However, our results indicate that the associations of 1) proximity and support for nuclear power 2) gender and support for nuclear power and 3) education level and support for nuclear power are complex and are most likely not linear.