LONDON, Dec.27 (Xinhuanet) -- About half of Britons agree that no new nuclear power stations should be built in Britain, said an on-line poll commissioned by the Guardian newspaper on Tuesday.

    The poll conducted in mid-December on some 1,000 people aged above 18 years old and published by the Guardian on Tuesday finds that while ministers are considering whether to restart Britain's controversial atomic power program to meet growing energy demand as North Sea crude oil output declines coupled with rising fuel prices, 48 percent of people oppose expanding nuclear energy, whereas 45 percent support it.

    However, there are sharp gender differences as 57 percent of men and 33 percent of women are for new nuclear power stations, whereas 57 percent of women and 39 percent of men are against.

    About 19 percent of Britain's electricity is generated by its 14 nuclear power stations, but it is expected to drop to seven percent by 2020 as older reactors will be switched off.

    British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced last month a reviewof Britain's energy policies and a report is expected in the summer.

    Nuclear supporters say renewable energy sources cannot fill the energy gap and reactors do not produce greenhouse gases.

    Opponents, however, believe that nuclear power is expensive, disposal of radioactive waste remains unresolved, and that significant carbon dioxide emissions are produced in the building and mining of uranium fuel. Enditem