The ladder of citizen participation and social acceptance in nuclear power projects: Evidence from Ningde, China

Public participation has been widely discussed as an important governance factor associated with the social acceptance of nuclear power facilities. This study examines whether social acceptance differs across various public participation approaches, utilizing the Ningde Nuclear Power Plant as a case study, an exemplar widely recognized by Chinese regulatory agencies and authoritative media for its participatory practices. The analysis indicates that participation limited to one-way information dissemination corresponds to relatively limited attitudinal differentiation, whereas two-way communication channels combined with institutionalized response mechanisms are more strongly associated with movement toward neutral attitudes. Participatory practices involving benefit sharing and more substantive forms of empowerment are, in turn, associated with more supportive public attitudes. These findings extend the theoretical understanding of public participation in the governance of potentially hazardous facilities, providing empirically grounded guidance for governmental authorities and project developers in designing and implementing effective, context-sensitive public participation strategies.