The perceived risks and benefits of electric power alternatives were used to explore the context of attitudes toward nuclear power. Supporters and opponents of nuclear power responded to thirty-three items which referred to five categories of energy issue: the production potential of electric, risks of those technologies, power generation technologies, energy conservation, comparisons of risks among technologies and comparisons between risks and benefits of each technology. The results are summarized. The nuclear supporters studied here do favor nuclear power. However, they believe that there are limited prospects for contributions from solar, wind and hydroelectric technologies. They also believe that there are serious disadvantages to conservation. Nuclear opponents, on the other hand, disagree that there are such limited prospects for solar and wind, although they are neutral on the prospects for increased hydro capacity. They also do not believe that conservation necessarily poses serious adverse consequences either for themselves or others.