After Chernobyl , with popular fear and distrust of nuclear power , and most energy companies preferring coal-fired plants , the U.S. nuclear industry went dormant for many years , although legislation continued until 1992 . Although nuclear plants were still quite active and even improving production and safety practices , construction of new plants ended in the late 1980s . This was acceptable to many utility companies , because most of the plants were licensed to operate on 20 – 40 year contracts , despite an unfavorable political climate . Over time , numerous polls showed a steady increase in public support and decrease in opposition , except for a temporary drop in numbers after the September 11 attacks and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars . According to a Gallup poll in 2009 , 59 % of the public favored the use of nuclear energy , including 27 % who strongly favored it , an increase from 49 % since 2001 . Moreover , in 2009 , the Gallup poll showed 56 % people believed nuclear energy was safe versus 42 % who believed it was unsafe . Other polls showed an even larger gap ; Bloomberg and '' The Los Angeles Times '' found that 61 % supported nuclear energy , while 30 % opposed in 2010 . Bisconti Research Inc. / Gfk Roper , market researchers commissioned by the Nuclear Energy Institute , a nuclear industry lobbying group , found that " A record-high 74 percent of Americans surveyed in a new national poll support nuclear energy and a similar majority of 70 percent says the United States should ' definitely build more ' nuclear energy facilities in 2010 . " According to Ann Bisconti , PhD , " This unprecedented support for nuclear energy is being driven largely by people 's concerns for meeting future energy demand and environmental goals , but it coincides with statements by President Obama and other national leaders who have voiced strong support for more nuclear power plants . " What had been growing acceptance of nuclear power in the United States was eroded sharply following the 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents , with public support for building nuclear power plants in the U.S. dropping slightly lower than it was immediately after the Three Mile Island accident in 1979 . Support had been at an all-time high of 69 percent in 1977 , according to polling by the '' New York Times '' and CBS News . 43 percent of those polled after the Fukushima nuclear emergency said they would approve building new power plants in the United States . This represents a decline from a high of 57 percent in July 2008
Three Mile Island accident
Three Mile Island accident
Nuclear energy policy of the United States