DC WIN Hosts “Talking About Nuclear” Event
Attendees at DC WIN’s Talking About Nuclear Event

 

“Talking About Nuclear” was an interactive workshop co-hosted by DC WIN and Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, October 9.  The evening started with an introduction from Nico Davis, NEI Senior Manager for Strategic and Industry Communications, sharing research about public perception of nuclear and tips for engaging with the public.  The research shows that favorability and support for nuclear has increased year-over-year, but many people still underestimate how clean and reliable it is.  Nico shared data from a survey NEI conducted, which asked participants about phrases related to nuclear.  There are some phrases that seemed to resonate more positively with people:

  • Instead of “America’s energy security” (44%), speak about “America’s energy independence” (56%)
  • When speaking about the future of nuclear, use “Next Generation” (46%), instead of “Advanced” (38%) or “New” (16%)
  • Participants preferred “Clean Energy Future” (80%) instead of “Clean Energy Transition” (20%)

 

The second segment of the night was led by Kara Colton, Director of Nuclear Policy at the Energy Communities Alliance (ECA).  Kara shared insights about the importance of building partnerships with local communities and elected officials to develop priorities and plans that suit both the need for clean energy and the rights of the community to feel safe about where their energy is coming from.

The workshop ended with Kay Foley, Manager, Nuclear Advocacy and Coalitions at NEI, sharing data from Nuclear Matters about how to better advocate for nuclear.  She shared best practices for online engagement such as: sticking to the facts, illustrating the impact nuclear has on the communities it already serves, and including visually engaging content.  She also shared tips for how to mobilize your advocacy with actions like sending letters to legislators and attending public events related to nuclear.  Following the three presentations, attendees broke out into small groups and discussed various scenarios and prompts, then shared their thoughts with the larger group.  Being knowledgeable in these facts and talking points will become increasingly important as nuclear becomes part of mainstream conversations.

Please see below for more information on the data and resources shared:

**DC WIN would like to thank NEI for partnering with us to host this event**