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13 January 2022, 15:39

Number of nuclear energy supporters rising in Belarus

MINSK, 13 January (BelTA) - The number of nuclear energy supporters in Belarus has grown as evidenced by a sociological survey, Deputy Director of the Nuclear Energy Industry Department of the Belarusian Energy Ministry Lilia Dulinets said during an online conference hosted by BelTA's website.

"Belarusians understand the undoubted advantages of nuclear generation and that was confirmed by a survey conducted by the Institute of Sociology at the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. In 2021, the survey involved 2,000 respondents representing various socio-demographic categories of the country's population, experts and first-year students majoring in nuclear energy. The study showed that in 2021, 64.9% of all respondents expressed a generally positive attitude to the construction of a nuclear power plant, 25.1% - negative and 10% were uncertain (‘I find it difficult to answer' and ‘No answer')," Lilia Dulinets said.

In Ostrovets, 72.6% of respondents expressed an approval of the NPP construction projects. Lilia Dulinets noted that the figures are higher than across the country and this is not accidental: the construction of a nuclear power plant contributes to the economic and social development of the host city, improving the standard of living of its residents.

“Within the past 10 years the town of Ostrovets has turned into a beautiful place with great infrastructure. The town got new social facilities: a school, a kindergarten, a hospital, a sports and recreation center, a culture and folk art center. Housing construction programs are in full swing in the town. A total of 52 residential houses (210,000 square meters, or 3100 apartments) have been built so far,” she said.

Positive changes in Ostrovets are associated, first of all ,with employment opportunities (76.3%), better sports services (74.6%), improved quality of goods and assortment in retail outlets (68.5%). Positive changes in 2020-2021 were also observed across such sectors as housing construction, public transport, the quality of roads and water supply system.

“The results of the survey show that the changes in the society mindset towards nuclear energy are taking root and that the Chernobyl syndrome, which was quite widely represented back in 2005, the year of the first poll, has been overcome. The population better understands the benefits of nuclear generation, which is an undeniable fact,” Lilia Dulinets said.

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