atw - International Journal for Nuclear Power | 04.2019

atw Vol. 64 (2019) | Issue 4 ı April
ENERGY POLICY, ECONOMY AND LAW 198
model. The 2014 survey in Slovenia
confirmed that the external stakeholders
of NPP had high expectations
of accessible, comprehensive, real and
timely information on the operation
and impacts of the NPPs and their
short-term and long-term activities
[Simončič & Žurga, 2016].
Stakeholder involvement in nuclear
safety issues requires established communication
mechanisms and channels
for discussions between the interested
parties and those responsible for
decision- making. It should be an
integral part of the management of
nuclear facilities from their conception
through final closure and decommissioning.
Thus, implementation of
managerial plan will need to include
mechanisms to continually monitor
the effectiveness of the program and
make changes and improvements
based upon the results of this evaluation.
[IAEA, 2011]
Purpose and hypothesis
of the research
In the research we examined the hypothesis
that respecting the interests
of stakeholders is a prere quisite for
the acceptability of the NPPs in society
and the environment and strengthens
quality of their coexistence. We
demonstrated and proved that NPPs
are aware of their impact and that
they want to satisfy the interests of
their stakeholders. Considering importance
of effective stakeholder
strategy for respect of their interests,
we developed and presented the
optimal model for involving external
stakeholders in the NPPs.
2 Research methodology
Questionnaires
For the purpose of the research, two
questionnaires with closed type
questions (statements) were developed,
one for external stakeholders
and another for NPPs. Respondents
expressed level of their agreement
with statements by: 1 – Completely
disagree, 2 – Disagree, 3 – Undecided,
4 – Agree, 5 – Fully agree. For basic
analysis, descriptive statistics methods
were used. For analyzing the completed
questionnaires, we used frequency
statistics, Cronbach Alpha
Test, Exploratory Factorial Analysis
of Ordinal Variables, Structured Equation
Modelling (SEM) with Lisrel,
Mann-Whitney and Kruskal- Wallis
test.
Sample and timeframe,
data collecting
External stakeholders of the only
Slovenian NPP included in the
research were:
pp
Representatives of local com munities,
namely 432 randomly
selected citizens from the Posavje
region in which the NPP is located
and, in the sample of “other
Slovenian regions”, four randomly
selected statistical units were
included, i.e. the Jugovzhodna
Slovenija region, the Obalno-kraška
region, the Savinjska region
and the Zasavska region (488 persons);
pp
Suppliers of goods and service
providers of the NPP that are
registered in the Republic of
Slovenia. This stakeholders group
comprised of companies that
supplied goods or services in the
years 2012–2017. We randomly
selected 110 suppliers;
pp
Journalists: invitations for journalists
were sent to 177 addresses;
pp
Non-governmental organizatios. In
June 2017, thirty non-government
organizations (NGOs) were registered
in Slovenia with the status of
acting in the public interest in the
field of environmental protection
and 36 associations operating in
public interest in nature conservation.
They were all included in
the research;
pp
Political public. Slovenian political
public represented by the President
of the Republic of Slovenia, the
Prime Minister, ministers, members
of the National Council, members
of the National Assembly, constitutional
judges and mayors of
Slovenian municipalities elected in
the 2014–2018 term was included
in the research. We sent invitations
to co-operate in the survey to e-mail
addresses of all official representatives
(offices, cabinets), that are
listed on their official websites,
except municipalities. Concerning
mayors, 22 municipalities (approximately
10 % of all) were randomly
selected.
As representatives of NPPs, we invited
members of World Association of
Nuclear Operators (WANO), Paris
centre to co-operate in the research.
At the time of the research, the
regional Paris centre represented 147
nuclear reactors from 13 countries.
The WANO organization allowed us to
invite the power plants to participate
in the research through their internal
information system. In this way, we
have ensured good responsiveness.
Representatives of NPPs were invited
to indicate whether they were operators
or owners of their respective NPP.
Web based surveys were con ducted
in October 2017. The research was
carried out at a time when the next
European concept of electricity supply
was primarily oriented towards lowcarbon
sources what included nuclear
power, as an important part of the
solution in the long-term supply of
electricity in many countries.
3 Results and hypothesis
testing
Responsiveness and
characteristics of the sample
Almost 36 % of respondents live up to
30 km from the NPP, app. 12 % of
them are up to 10 km from the NPP.
Invited
Group of
stakeholders
Number of
participant (N)
Response
(%)
432 Local communities – Posavje 95 22.0
488
110
Local communities –
other Slovenian regions
Suppliers of goods and service
providers of NPP
91 18.6
21 19.1
66 NGOs 17 25.8
124 Slovenian political public 21 16.9
177 Journalists 23 13.0
Others 24
1397 292 20.9
| | Tab. 1.
Response and number of participating stakeholders of NPP.
Function in the organization: operators of NPPs (N)
Top management 23
Representative in organization WANO 17
Public relations of NPPs 5
NPPs together 45
Function in the organization: owners of NPPs (N)
Top management 1
Representative in the WANO 1
Public relations of owner 1
Owners together 3
| | Tab. 2.
Number of participating NPPs, and organizational function of respondents.
Energy Policy, Economy and Law
Successful Co-Existance of Nuclear Power Plants with Their External Stakeholders ı Milan Simončič and Gordana Žurga