South Africans were among the strongest supporters of nuclear energy in a survey conducted in 20 countries, the company that commissioned the survey said on Wednesday.

Accenture, an international consultancy, said the strongest support for nuclear energy as a means of reducing fossil fuel reliance came from respondents in India, where 67 percent of those polled responded positively.

In China the figure was 62 percent, in the United States 57 percent and in South Africa 55 percent.

Support was far lower in countries such as France and Italy (37 percent), Germany (31 percent), Brazil (29 percent) and Spain (28 percent).

Accenture said the survey, of more than 10 000 people, showed that 29 percent of respondents support the use or increased use of nuclear power outright.

Another 40 percent said they would support nuclear power if their concerns about it were overcome.

The South African leg of the survey was conducted only in urban areas.