The survey series was launched in 1983 at the University of Tampere, and was initially financed by the energy company Imatran Voima (later known as the Fortum Corporation). Finnish public opinion on energy policy issues was studied by annual mail surveys. Comparative data allow detailed empirical analysis and systematic follow-up of citizen perceptions, opinions, beliefs, knowledge, values, and attitudes on these matters.
The surveys were carried out by Yhdyskuntatutkimus and jointly produced by the Fortum Corporation (Imatran Voima until 1998) and Teollisuuden Voima (TVO). The Finnish Energy Industries (ET) was responsible for publishing the results from 2004 onwards. The data collection for this series has been finished, but the same themes are studied in the Finnish Energy Attitudes series.
The survey studied Finnish public opinion on energy policy issues. The data are part of an extensive survey series launched in 1983. The respondents' conceptions, opinions, beliefs, assessments, attitudes and knowledge about various energy issues were studied by presenting several statements about energy production. The respondents were also asked in what direction the electricity power production should be developed in Finland and how important they regarded the following factors connected with energy production to be: price, non-polluting energy, availability, domestic energy sources, safety and production reliability. Moreover, the respondents were asked whether they would prefer nuclear power to coal, and whether they thought it probable that certain things would happen within the next ten years (e.g. the building of the fifth nuclear energy power plant, or Finland's membership in the EU). Finally, the respondents answered questions about their own energy saving habits and how acceptable to them various ways of protesting against the potential nuclear power plant project would be.
Background variables included the respondent's gender, age, size of the location of residence, region, occupation, education, and which political party R would vote for if the parliamentary elections were held at that time.
The questionnaire was sent to 3,750 Finns aged between 18 and 70 years, randomly selected from the population register. The Åland Islands citizens were excluded. The respondents received a questionnaire in Finnish or Swedish, depending on their native language. The target group consisted of six separate samples. The entire Finnish population was represented by a sample of 2,500 persons. Two additional samples represented municipalities with nuclear power plants: Loviisa (250 persons) and Eurajoki (250 persons). Two samples of similar size represented the municipalities of Kuhmo and Sievi, which are potential nuclear waste repository sites. The fifth municipal-based sample represented the citizens of Pori (250 persons), a potential coal-fired power plant site.
2,446 adequately completed questionnaires were returned, and the total response rate was 65.2%. The response rate varied somewhat between the different target groups: in the sample representing the entire Finnish population it was 65.8%, in the Loviisa sample 60.0%, Eurajoki 69.6%, Kuhmo 62.4%, Sievi 63.2%, and Pori 65.6%. The questionnaire was resent twice to non-respondents.