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tions in Sweden in 1976, and de-monstrations at nuclear plant sitesin the USA and other countries dur-ing the 1970s and 1980s were notlimited by geographic boundaries.

In March 1979, INFOWIREachieved a new level of maturityas a result of its coverage of theaccident at Three Mile Island(TMI). Previously, it had primarilycovered anti-nuclear demonstra-tions, media activities, incidents atplants, legislation, regulatory ac-tions, and reports issued by critics.Covering TMI involved reportingthe technical and radiologicalaspects of the accident, a newchallenge. Seven years later, thecommunications lessons and ex-periences gained at TMI, as well asthe network established amongnuclear communicators, were in-valuable in reporting on the acci-dent at Chernobyl.

Today, INFOWIRE's scope in-cludes anything that might generatepublic or media attention on the in-dustry. It is equivalent to a news-wire service. It is written specifi-cally for the nuclear and electricutility communicator. The style isjournalistic, simple, and to thepoint. When appropriate, it in-cludes suggested responses toevents and issues.

Over the past year, USCEA hasbeen working to expand and mo-dernize the INFOWIRE network.Transmission is being convertedfrom telex to fax, which is lesscostly and more efficient. AndUSCEA is working more closelywith sister organizations andUSCEA members overseas in aneffort to be responsive to the needsof nuclear industry communicatorsworldwide. Indeed, it appears thatthe equivalent of a worldwidenewswire system will result.

USSR

Nuclear powerand public opinionPublic information centres are part ofnew Soviet initiatives

by Vyacheslav S. Romanov

N.I uclear power has come along way since the start of trialoperation on 6 June 1954 at theworld's first nuclear power plant,in Obninsk. The plant was wel-comed by the public with greatoptimism and with the hope that anew, cheap, safe and virtually inex-haustible source of energy wouldbe available to mankind. By 1986,the installed nuclear power capacityof the USSR exceeded 27 gigawatts— almost 30% more than the totalcapacity of all the country's powerstations in 1950.

The claims of Soviet scientistsand other experts that nuclear

Mr Romanov is Deputy Director, CentralScientific Research Institute for Informationand Technical and Economic Research in theField of Atomic Science and Technology(TsNIIatominform), in Moscow.

power was safe found a positiveresponse. Even information pub-lished in the mass media passedunnoticed that during the period1971-85 there had been, in 14countries of the world, 151 unfore-seen accidents of different degreesof seriousness with various ecologi-cal consequences. Indeed, even theaccident at the Three Mile Islandpower plant in the late 1970s wasnot taken particularly seriouslyeither by our experts or by ourpublic.

The accident at Unit-4 of theChernobyl nuclear power plant in1986 caused an emotional explo-sion that generated an extremelynegative attitude towards nuclearpower in the USSR. There was asharp rise in public concern aboutthe safety and ecological impact ofnuclear plants. The situation was

46 reactors in operation

26 reactors under construction

12.3% nuclear share of electricity

/ | \ Source: IAEA PRIS.as of 31 December 1

IAEA BULLETIN, 2/1990 19

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difficult enough already because ofthe ecological imbalance caused bylarge atmospheric releases fromindustrial plants burning coal andoil, and from chemical and biologi-cal plants, among others. The eco-nomic aspects of nuclear powerwere thus subjected to extremelycritical reassessment.

The unstinting efforts of ordi-nary people and the marshalling ofthe entire national economy to dealwith the consequences of the Cher-nobyl accident roused public opin-ion to such an extent that this tragicevent will serve for a long time tocome as the point of reference forall future decisions concerningnuclear power.

The questions that the publichave placed on the agenda are fun-damental issues concerning thecountry's whole economy. Is fur-ther development of electric powernecessary at all? If there is to be anever growing demand for electric-ity, how are we to satisfy it withoutworsening the already critical eco-logical situation in the country andwithout developing nuclear power?Will it be sufficient to concentrateall efforts on energy-saving tech-nologies? What role can be playedby the alternative sources ofenergy, such as wind, solar, andtidal? On these matters there are amultitude of opinions, often dia-metrically opposed.

Nuclear plans revised

The Chernobyl accident hasalready made itself felt by reducingthe rate of nuclear power develop-ment in the USSR. The energy pro-gramme under the Twelfth 5-YearPlan had envisaged 41.5 gigawatts-electric (GWe) of nuclear powercapacity, whereas in actual factonly 9 GWe has been commis-sioned in 4 years.

As of 1 January 1990, therewere in the USSR 15 operatingnuclear power stations comprising45 units with a total capacity of36.4 GWe; 34 units at 17 stationswere under construction. The pro-

grammes for commissioning fur-ther nuclear capacity under the nexttwo 5-Year Plans have been con-siderably curtailed. The mostrealistic figures seem likely to be6-10 GWe during 1991-95 andabout 10 GWe during 1995-2000.This is clear from the fact that thedecision to build nuclear powerplants with a total capacity of 45GWe has been revoked.

However, if we analyse thestructure of the energy balance inthe USSR over the forthcomingperiod, we see quite clearly that itwill only be during the next fewyears that the share of nuclear fuelcan be reduced and the deficit com-pensated by increasing the share ofnatural gas.

Thereafter, as we approach thelimit of economically feasiblelevels of oil, gas, and coal produc-tion, the share of other sources ofenergy will have to increase —to 13% by the year 2000 and to22% by the year 2010. The contri-bution in percentage terms of suchnon-fossil-fuel sources of electricalenergy as solar, wind, and geo-thermal can at best only amount tosingle-digit figures.

Thus, the only adequately devel-oped and efficient source of energythat can serve as an alternative tofossil fuels during this period con-tinues to be nuclear power. Yetthere is no gainsaying the fact thatfurther development of nuclearpower is frozen in our country, andour situation is in many ways simi-lar to that which arose in the UnitedStates after the Three Mile Islandaccident.

Another factor which has furthercomplicated the situation is thatcompetent government agenciesand industrial departments had noexperts in the art of public rela-tions, while the mass media, withits predilection for sensational re-porting, in fact came down entirelyon the side of the opponents ofnuclear power. Such one-sidedcoverage in the press of this crucialissue was not conducive to objec-tive discussion or to the adoption ofa balanced and reasoned stand bythe majority of the population.

Responding to publicconcerns

In these complex and difficultcircumstances the Governmentdecided, in the autumn of 1988, toset up an Inter-Departmental Coun-cil on Public Information and Rela-tions with a view to ensuring trans-parency and improving public un-derstanding of nuclear power. TheCouncil is composed of representa-tives of the USSR State Committeeson the Supervision of Industrial andNuclear Power Safety; Hydro-meteorology; Protection of Nature;Public Education; Press; Televisionand Broadcasting, as well as repre-sentatives of the USSR Academyof Sciences, Ministry of NuclearPower and Industry, Ministry ofPublic Health, Union of Engineer-ing Associations of the USSR, andothers.

The working organ of the Coun-cil is the Public Information Cen-tre, under the Central ScientificResearch Institute for Informationand Technical and Economic Re-search in the Field of AtomicScience and Technology (TsNII-atominform). The Centre's mainfunction is to provide public or-ganizations and the public at large,through the mass media, withobjective information on the statusand prospects of nuclear power,covering problems such as safetyand ecology.

Seven regional public infor-mation centres also have been es-tablished in areas where thereare nuclear power plants in opera-tion or under construction — inLeningrad, Kharkov, Gorki,Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Kiev,and Murmansk.

At all nuclear power plants inoperation and under construction,Information and Enquiry Groupshave been set up to assist thepublic.

Range of activities

Work plans for the next fewyears have been discussed at theCouncil's meetings and a concep-

20 IAEA BULLETIN, 2/1990

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tual outline of activities has beenadopted. Members representing thevarious committees, departments,and public organizations have takenpart in the implementation of theseplans.

Arrangements have been madefor monthly publication in thenewspaper hvestiya of reports onthe operation of nuclear powerplants and events occurring inthem. The press has started report-ing the results of ecological assess-ments of nuclear power plantprojects (South Urals and SouthUkraine plants). Information aboutthe ecological situation in differentregions and the impact of nuclearpower on the environment is pub-lished in the local press. The medi-cal consequences of the Chernobylaccident in the areas affected byradioactive contamination arecovered regularly.

Public information work relatingto the safety problems of nuclear-powered vessels is carried outamong the population and mediarepresentatives at the ports of callof such ships. In 1989 the nationaland local press carried 30 articleson the ecological aspects ofnuclear-powered vessels, and abouta thousand members of the publichave visited them.

Communication research

Sociological studies are beingcarried out in various parts ofthe country with the collaborationof leading scientists and otherexperts (All-Union Public OpinionResearch Centre, Moscow StateUniversity, Institute of SociologicalResearch of the USSR Academy ofSciences and its branches) in orderto gain a correct understanding ofthe reasons for the public's attitudeto nuclear power. In the first ins-tance, studies are carried out, underthe plans of the Public InformationCentre, at such "hot" spots as thelocations of district heating andnuclear power plants (Gorki, Voro-nezh, Arkhangelsk and Bryansk);at sites where nuclear power plantsare already in operation or under

construction, or where sitingstudies are under way (Kalinin,Rostov, and Petrozavodsk); andalso in Moscow and Leningrad.The first results of these studieshave already been reported in thepress.

In 1990 the Public InformationCentre is planning to enlarge thegeographic scope of its sociologicalinvestigations and to make a fullstudy of the situation at all placeswhere nuclear power plants are inoperation, under construction, orare to be sited.

Work aimed at creating afavourable psychological climate atall operating nuclear power plantshas begun. In November 1989 atraining course on this subject washeld at the Kola plant for represen-tatives of the power plant informa-tion groups.

Data collection and use

The Public Information Centrecollects both domestic and foreigndata. Such activities are also car-ried out on commission for theCentre by the I.V. Kurchatov Insti-tute of Atomic Energy using com-puters. At present, this databasehas more than 1000 entries. It isused by the Public InformationCentre to supply the mass media,public organizations, and membersof the public, as well as the regionalpublic information centres, otherinformation centres and informa-tion groups, with objective infor-mation on the status and prospectsof atomic energy in the USSR andabroad.

In one year more than 700 itemsof information were sent to theregional centres, magazines, news-papers, and individuals. This ma-terial is already being utilized bythe regional public informationcentres and the information groupsat the local level. For example, ithas been used in connection withconferences at Voronezh andChelyabinsk. The database servesas a source of information forreplies to letters from workersaddressed to the Communist PartyCentral Committee, USSR Council

of Ministers, mass media, anddirectly to the Public InformationCentre.

Drawing on the database, theInter-Departmental Council hasstarted publishing an "InformationBulletin" to serve as its own pressorgan. This is sent to public organi-zations, ministries, departmentsrepresented on the Council, localgovernment bodies, all centralnewspapers and magazines, regio-nal centres, nuclear power plants,and a number of enterprises in thenuclear sector. More than 30 issueshave come out so far, and up to1000 copies of each issue areprinted. The Bulletin is in greatdemand and its circulation is grow-ing. The publication of a weeklysurvey called Po materialam pressy{Material from the Press) started inJuly 1989.

In 6 months the Public Informa-tion Centre handled more than 1000letters from citizens, staffs of enter-prises, informal groups, and as-sociations. Where appropriate,correspondents' letters have beenanswered.

Public and press contacts

The Public Information Centreis gaining experience in organizingroundtable discussions, interviewswith the public, and discussion clubmeetings. For example, discussionshave been held in the editorialoffices of the weekly LiteratumayaGazeta {Literary Gazette), themonthlies Priroda {Nature) andEhnergiya {Energy), and the dailySotsialisticheskaya Industriya {So-cialist Industry). Reports on thesediscussions have been published.There were six meetings of the dis-cussion club of the Kurchatov Insti-tute of Atomic Energy and inter-views with the public in Moscow,Gorki, Voronezh, Chelyabinsk,Rybinsk, Khmelnitskij, and otherplaces. In connection with the exhi-bition "Atomic Power — Yester-day, Today and Tomorrow" held atZoporozhe and the conferences atVoronezh and Chelyabinsk, therewere interviews on local television.

IAEA BULLETIN, 2/1990 21

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Of great importance are thepress conferences held on theresults of IAEA missions to nuclearpower plants and the reports onthese interviews in local news-papers and magazines.

Experience shows that theseforms of dialogue provide anopportunity for the supporters andopponents of nuclear power tounderstand each other's point ofview. The recently founded Nu-clear Society of the USSR is con-tributing to this mutual under-standing.

The Public Information Centremaintains close links with centraltelevision and takes part in releasesof short documentaries and TVfilms. A number of activities havebeen organized in the course of theyear. A camera team of theprogramme "Time" filmed theopening of the exhibition ' 'AtomicEnergy". The educational andpopular science programmes de-partment prepared a transmissionunder the programme "Science-Theory-Experiment-Practice" onproblems of the safety and eco-nomics of nuclear power with theparticipation of AcademiciansA.A. Shejndlin and B.B. Kadomt-sev. The camera team of the"Kosmos" group went to Shev-chenko to take location shots inpreparation for the popular sciencefilm "Do We Need NuclearPower?". A special correspondentof the central television newsdepartment paid a visit to Obninskto check reports from members ofthe public alleging releases fromthe nuclear power plant. Theconference on "Nuclear PowerSupply and Ecology" (Voronezh)was covered in the programme"Opinion".

In its work, the Public Informa-tion Centre makes active use ofinternational experience, takingpart in activities organized by theIAEA and others. In 1989, as partof bilateral co-operation, meetingswere held and delegations were

exchanged with France and Poland.On these occasions documentaryfilms were made, interviews werepublished in the press, essentialinformation material was distri-buted, and meetings and discus-sions were conducted with mem-bers of the public, schoolchildren,physicians, fishermen, power plantpersonnel, and local authorities.

The Centre has organized morethan 10 meetings between jour-nalists visiting the USSR and re-presentatives of ecological move-ments, specialists, and members ofthe public in various regions of theUSSR.

Future directions

The conceptual framework forfuture activities is influenced by thepresent situation, which can besummarized as follows:

• After the Chernobyl accidentthe population, including a largenumber of specialists and people inthe liberal arts, ceased to believe inthe safety of nuclear power;

• The greater part of the popu-lation does not accept the argu-ments of nuclear power experts;

• The volume and quality of theinformation available fall short ofwhat is needed by the public inorder to have a well-grounded per-ception of events;

• Lack of information leads tothe growth of distrust;

• Under the conditions offrankness, transparency, anddemocratization of society, mostlocal administrative bodies use thenegative attitude of the populationto achieve their own personal polit-ical ends, coming out strongly inopposition to nuclear power.

Main activities that caninfluence the public's future atti-tudes towards nuclear power are:

• Enhancement of nuclearpower plant safety and provision ofinformation on progress made inthis field;

• Resolution of the scientificand organizational problems as-sociated with the Chernobyl acci-dent, with the widest publicity pos-sible for the results;

• Concentration of public in-formation activities in places wherethere are nuclear power plants inoperation and under construction;

• Wide dissemination of infor-mation among the public by variousmeans (articles, pamphlets, books,films, discussions, excursions);

• Involvement in the discus-sions of teachers, physicians, ecol-ogists, women, and representativesof scientific, social, and religiousorganizations;

• Provision of regular andtimely information to the public onall events that occur at nuclearpower plants and on radiationlevels in the region of such plants;

• Independent assessment ofprojects with the involvement of thepublic;

• Planning and implementationof economic measures in areaswhere nuclear power plants arelocated or are being built;

• Clarification of the roleplayed by nuclear technology in thelife of the community (applicationsof radioisotopes, robotics, vacuumtechnology, radiotherapy and diag-nostics, and many other uses);

• Development of internationalco-operation in this area and parti-cipation of experts from differentcountries in discussions with thepublic; holding of annual meetingsattended by representatives ofpublic information centres fromvarious countries with a view toexchanging experience under IAEAauspices.

22 IAEA BULLETIN, 2/1990