wpa nationwide energy security study
DESCRIPTION
Energy prices are the top concern of Americans among energy issues. A plurality of Americans (43%) believe that energy prices are the most important energy issue facing the country today. And of those, 75% say that energy prices are are too high. Roughly one quarter of Americans believe that expanding renewable energy sources (26%) and increasing the production of natural energy sources (23%) should be our primary focus. While only eight percent of Americans view grid security as the most important energy issue in America, this issue has not gotten extensive media attention. A plurality of Americans believes that our energy grid is not secure against a terrorist attack. Forty-six percent (46%) of Americans say that they don’t believe that the nation’s energy grid is secure against a terrorist attack. While 44% do say that the grid might be secure, only one-in-ten (11%) show confidence in that, saying they think it is very secure. The public is still coming to a consensus on this issue, only 33% have strong opinions either way. Americans overwhelmingly believe that securing our electric grid and infrastructure is a federal issue. Nearly half (45%) of Americans say that securing our power grid is the role of the federal government. Only one quarter (26%) say it is the utility companies’ job and fewer (23%) say it is a state government role. While most American’s are less willing to pay more for better service, a strong minority (40%) indicate that they would be willing to pay more despite energy prices currently being the most important issue.TRANSCRIPT
WPA Nationwide Energy Security Study
n=606 AdultsMoE=±4.0%
Fielded April 1-14, 2014
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Energy prices are the most important energy issue among Americans.
Most Important Energy Issue
1. Question one, thinking specifically about energy issues, please indicate which of these energy issues is most important to you by pressing the number on your keypad. Press one for energy prices, press two for increasing production of natural resources, press three for expanding renewable energy sources, press four for improving power plant and electrical grid security.
Energy Prices43%
Expanding renewable energy sources26%
Increasing production of natural energy resources
23%
Improving power plant and electrical grid security
8%
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Energy prices are the most important issue in the Midwest, Northeast and South. In the West, expanding renewable energy takes precedence.
Most Important Energy Issue by Region
1. Most Important Energy Issue
West(22%)
Energy Prices – 28%Increasing Production – 25%Expanding renewable energy
– 33%Improving security – 14%
Midwest (22%)
Energy Prices – 45%Increasing Production – 16%
Expanding renewable energy – 32%
Improving security – 7%
Northeast(18%)
Energy Prices – 41%Increasing Production – 21%Expanding renewable energy
– 33%Improving security – 5%
South(37%)
Energy Prices – 51%Increasing Production – 27%
Expanding renewable energy – 15%Improving security – 7%
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High prices was the most common reason that energy prices was named the most important issue. A plurality of adults who believe that increasing natural energy sources is the most important energy issue cite an increase in energy independence as their reasoning. Those who listed expanding renewable energy sources did so because they want to protect the environment for future generations and the need to find new methods for producing clean energy.
Reasons for Being the Most Important Issue
Q2A. And why are energy prices the most important issue to you, specifically? Q2B. And why is increasing production of natural energy resources the most important issue to you, specifically? Q2C. And why is expanding renewable energy sources the most important issue to you specifically?
Prices are too high75%
Prices are in-consistent
13%
Not enough cheap alterna-tives12%
2.A Energy Prices (n=259)
Increase energy in-dependence
33%
We should be able to make our own energy
30%
Lower the cost to Amer-icans26%
Improve national se-curity
6%
Improve economy5%
2.B Increasing Natural Energy Resources (n=140)
Need to protect the environment for future
generations36%
Need to find new methods to produce clean energy
33%
Need to prevent fur-ther climate change
19%
Need to prevent air and water pollution
12%
2.C Renewable Sources (n=157)
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A slight plurality of adults believes that our power grid is unsecure from a terrorist attack. Opinions are divided, however, and only a portion of the public has made up its mind on the issue.
Security of Power Grid from Terrorist Attack
Q3. And now, thinking about the security of the power grid and our electrical infrastructure nationwide, how secure would you say these things are from a terrorist attack? Press one if you’d say they’re very secure, press two for somewhat secure, press three for somewhat unsecure or press four for very unsecure. Press five if you don’t know or would rather not say.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
44% 46%
Total Secure Total Unsecure
Very Secure11%
Somewhat Secure33%
DK/Refused10%
Somewhat Unsecure25%
Very Unsecure22%
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The South registers the highest levels of concern about grid security, though no region has strong confidence that the grid is secure.
Security of Power Grid from Terrorist Attack by Region
3. Security of Power Grid
West(22%)
Total Secure – 48%Total Unsecure – 42%
Midwest (22%)
Total Secure – 45%Total Unsecure – 45%
Northeast(18%)
Total Secure – 50%Total Unsecure – 43%
South(37%)
Total Secure – 37%Total Unsecure – 51%
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Americans overwhelmingly believe that securing our electric grid and infrastructure is a federal issue.
Who Should Be Responsible for Grid Security
Q4. And who do you believe should be principally responsible for security of the power grid and electrical infrastructure? Press one for the federal government or homeland security, press two for the state government, press three for the local police and press four for the utility companies themselves.
Federal Government/Homeland Security
45%
Utility Companies26%
State Government23%
Local Police5%
Page 8
While the South is more likely to believe utility companies should be responsible for grid security, more Americans in every region of the country believe grid security is a federal issue.
Who Should Be Responsible for Grid Security by Region
4. Responsible for Grid Security
West(22%)
Fed Gov’t/DHS– 42%Utility Companies– 21%
State Government – 31%Local Police – 6%
Midwest (22%)
Fed Gov’t/DHS– 44%Utility Companies– 28%
State Government – 20%Local Police – 8%
Northeast(18%)
Fed Gov’t/DHS– 55%Utility Companies– 13%
State Government – 29%Local Police – 3%
South(37%)
Fed Gov’t/DHS– 43%Utility Companies– 35%
State Government – 17%Local Police – 5%
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With energy prices being the most important energy issue, it is surprising that fully 40% of Americans would pay more to improve their infrastructure and prevent outages.
Willingness to Pay Higher Rates to Improve Infrastructure and Prevent Outages
Q5. Now thinking about your monthly utility bill. Would you be willing to pay higher rates on your monthly utility bills in order to improve local infrastructure to prevent more outages? Press one if you’d be willing to pay a lot more, press two if you’d be willing to pay somewhat more and press three if you would not be willing to pay more in order to improve local infrastructure. Press zero to repeat this question.
A Lot More10%
Somewhat More30%
No60%
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Adults in the West are more willing than not to pay more to improve infrastructure and prevent outages, though at least a third in all regions across the country are willing to pay more if it improves service.
Willingness to Pay Higher Rates to Improve Infrastructure and Prevent Outages
5. Willingness to Pay Higher Rates
West(22%)
A Lot More – 7%Somewhat More– 43%
Not Willing – 49%
Midwest (22%)
A Lot More – 16%Somewhat More– 21%
Not Willing – 63%
Northeast(18%)
A Lot More – 12%Somewhat More– 23%
Not Willing – 65%
South(37%)
A Lot More – 6%Somewhat More– 31%
Not Willing – 63%
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Summary
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Summary and Recommendations
Energy prices are the top concern of Americans among energy issues.o A plurality of Americans (43%) believe that energy prices are the most
important energy issue facing the country today. And of those, 75% say that energy prices are are too high.
o Roughly one quarter of Americans believe that expanding renewable energy sources (26%) and increasing the production of natural energy sources (23%) should be our primary focus.
o While only eight percent of Americans view grid security as the most important energy issue in America, this issue has not gotten extensive media attention.
A plurality of Americans believes that our energy grid is not secure against a terrorist attack.o Forty-six percent (46%) of Americans say that they don’t believe that the
nation’s energy grid is secure against a terrorist attack.o While 44% do say that the grid might be secure, only one-in-ten (11%) show
confidence in that, saying they think it is very secure.o The public is still coming to a consensus on this issue, only 33% have strong
opinions either way.
Americans overwhelmingly believe that securing our electric grid and infrastructure is a federal issue.o Nearly half (45%) of Americans say that securing our power grid is the role of
the federal government.o Only one quarter (26%) say it is the utility companies’ job and fewer (23%)
say it is a state government role.
While most American’s are less willing to pay more for better service, a strong minority (40%) indicate that they would be willing to pay more despite energy prices currently being the most important issue.
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Research Design and Demographics
Page 14
Research Design
WPA Opinion Research conducted a study on the opinions of adults nationwide regarding energy issues. The poll was conducted among n=606 adults and the sample was selected utilizing Random Digit Dialing (RDD) methodology. Respondents were contacted by utilizing Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology. The final results of the survey were weighted to match census data.
Respondents were contacted by phone via recorded telephone interview April 1-14, 2014. The study has a sample size of n=606 adults. The margin of error is equal to ±4.0% in 95 out of 100 cases.
Demography
Age Result
18-34 30%
35-44 17%
45-54 18%
55-64 17%
65-74 9%
75+ 8%
Gender
Male 49%
Female 51%
Education Result
<High School 42%
Some College 29%
College Grad 18%
Post Grad 10%
Party
Republican 31%
Independent 24%
Democrat 35%
Ethnicity
White 67%
Hispanic 14%
African-American 12%
Asian 5%
Other 1%
Region
Northeast 18%
Midwest 22%
South 37%
West 22%
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Contact
For additional information about this data, please feel free to contact:
Chris WilsonPartner and CEO
mMatt GammonVice President
202.470.6300MGammon@WPAResearch
.com
Bryon AllenPartner and COO