Trust in Nuclear Companies and Social Acceptance of a Nuclear Waste Repository in Finland

Abstract

Trust is often regarded as one of the most important factors for achieving social acceptance of the siting of a spent nuclear fuel repository in Finland. This study analyzes the trust-building of local residents of the candidate municipalities in the Finnish nuclear companies carrying out a nuclear waste management project. Trust built in Finland was analyzed by two components of trust, i.e., competence and care. These components of trust were theoretically conceptualized and empirically developed in the field of hazard-related trust studies. This analysis, based on the Finnish context, shows that a well-defined institutional framework, i.e., the Nuclear Energy Act, directly and indirectly influenced the local people’s trust in the competence and care of the nuclear companies. The Nuclear Energy Act facilitated fostering the competence of the nuclear company as well as providing a platform to address the local residents’ concerns and needs. In the Finnish context, the local people’s trust in the competence and care of the nuclear companies played a decisive role in gaining social acceptance of the siting of the planned spent nuclear fuel repository.