More Informed, More Favorable
Ann Stouffer Bisconti, PhD
Bisconti Research, Inc.
June 2025
One of the reasons why so many Americans take middle positions on nuclear energy is that they don’t feel very well informed about this energy source. In 2025, only 15% said they feel very well informed on the topic, 47% somewhat well informed, 31% not too well informed, and 7% not at all well informed. Whether or not their self-assessments are accurate, they are important. Feeling informed about a subject is a prerequisite for strong opinions and likely action.
The correlation between the level of feeling informed about nuclear energy and attitudes is striking. Among those who feel very well informed about nuclear energy, 66% are strongly favorable and only 6% are strongly opposed.
Feel More Informed, More Favorable (2025)
How well informed do you feel you are about nuclear energy?
Overall, do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States?
Little change in recent years. The percentages who feel well informed have changed very little over the past seven years. The absence of any real change shows that nuclear energy remains something of an enigma to most Americans.
How Well Informed You Feel about Nuclear Energy Trend (2018-2025) %
How well informed do you feel about nuclear energy used to produce electricity? (2018-2023)
How well informed do you feel you are about nuclear energy? (2025)
Does feeling informed equal being informed? These self-assessments are, of course, subjective and do not necessarily reflect actual knowledge. One test of the accuracy of these self-assessments is found in analyzing the answers of the different groups to this question on the 2025 survey: Which one of the following is the most reliable clean energy source? The correct answer is nuclear energy. Nuclear energy operates reliably day and night 24/7. As seen below, 70% of the total respondents got the answer wrong; they did not select nuclear energy.
Which is Most Reliable Clean Energy Source? (2025)
Which one of the following is the most reliable clean energy source? %
There was a strong correlation between selecting nuclear energy as the most reliable clean energy and the level of feeling informed. Those feeling very well informed were much more likely than others to select nuclear energy as most reliable, but more than half of those feeling very well informed about nuclear energy did not select nuclear. One-third of those who said they feel very informed about nuclear energy thought that solar energy is most reliable; solar energy operates intermittently due to weather and time of day. This result shows that even some who feel very well informed need more information.
Energy Source Perceived as Most Reliable Clean Energy Source, by How Well Informed They Feel About Nuclear Energy (2025) %
Which one of the following is the most reliable clean energy source?
How well informed do you feel you are about nuclear energy?
Gender gap. Our surveys consistently show a large gap between men and women in how well informed they feel about nuclear energy; only 8% of women feel very well informed compared with 22% of men. The gender gap is seen across demographics—the groups that feel most well informed on the subject are men college graduates and Republican men. Focus groups show that many women express views about nuclear energy that are somewhat favorable because they believe we need the energy but also feel they do not have enough information on the subject.
Feel Informed about Nuclear Energy by Demographics (2025)
How well informed do you feel you are about nuclear energy?
Overall, the findings cry out for more information about nuclear energy for all groups, especially women.
© Ann Stouffer Bisconti, 2025.