--SIXTY-NINE PERCENT OF AMERICANS "DEFINITELY" FAVOR NEW NUCLEAR PLANTS in the US, according to a poll by Bisconti Research and GfK for the Nuclear Energy Institute. This is 10% more than favored new reactors in a similar poll last conducted in April 2007, NEI said September 29. Three-fourths of those polled said they "would find it acceptable to add a new reactor at the nearest existing nuclear power plant site," 9% more than last year, NEI said. The poll found that 38% "strongly favor" nuclear energy and 10% "strongly oppose" the technology, it said. Nuclear plants are considered "safe and secure" by 78% of those surveyed, up from 71% in April 2007, NEI said. Seventy-six percent said the US should continue to develop a geologic spent fuel repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada as long as it meets NRC regulations, it said. Ann Bisconti, president of Bisconti Research, said in a statement that, "in the 25 years that I have been tracking public opinion about nuclear energy, I have never witnessed anything like this increase on all the measures [of support for nuclear power] across the board." The telephone survey of 1,000 adults was conducted September 18-21 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3%.