Sociologists studied the perception of the nuclear industry by residents and their attitude to the activities of nearby nuclear power plants. As noted in the company's report, the general attitude of residents to nuclear energy is characterized by a significant preponderance of positive assessments over negative ones. In the regions where there are NPPs, more than 76% of respondents have expressed their positive views. Among residents of near-station cities, this percentage is even higher – 90.37%.

When considering the issue of future energy sources, residents, first of all, note nuclear energy and alternative energy. This tandem has already become a classic for the entire time of diagnosing social moods.

In the regions where there are nuclear power plants, among the prevailing answers to the question “What do you personally associate with the Russian nuclear industry?” such options as: "Effective replacement of oil and gas" and "Advanced technologies / creating innovations that bring the future closer" were given. These responses exceeded those of the previous year. 

In satellite cities, nuclear power plants, among other things, are perceived as industries that provide great (in small towns – dominant) assistance in the development of the social sphere and infrastructure.

Andrey Timonov, director of the communications department of Rosenergoatom, said: “We have been conducting diagnostics of social sentiments in the regions where NPPs operate for the eighth year in a row. The dynamics of the results demonstrate that over the years, nuclear energy is gaining more and more support from the population which, of course, is facilitated by the fact that nuclear power plants for the vast majority of residents have stopped being a kind of "fright". We are investing a lot of effort and resources into changing the image of nuclear energy from a closed one for the uninitiated to a transparent and transparent one for everyone. Today, any person not only has access to the main indicators of the operation of plants, but also the opportunity to visit nuclear power plants and make sure that they are safe for them and for nature at first hand. As a result, today nuclear power plants are perceived as large futuristic plants producing an incredible amount of energy, and not as objects of increased danger and eternal anxiety.

The survey was conducted in 10 regions of our country – in the Voronezh, Kaliningrad, Kursk, Leningrad, Murmansk, Rostov, Saratov, Sverdlovsk, Smolensk and Tver regions. In total, 10 thousand people from 60 Russian cities participated in it.

The survey results indicate that the population of the regions supports the development of the nuclear industry, and also notes its high importance for the social and economic development of the region. 

Operational information on the radiation situation next to Russian NPPs and other facilities of the nuclear industry is available on the website www.russianatom.ru.