WISCASSET — Officials at the Maine Yankee nuclear plant are reviewing a request to donate about $50,000 to an advertising campaign that supports a study of locating a nuclear waste dump in Nevada.

The plant in Wiscasset is listed as a possible contributor in the ad campaign’s literature, but Maine Yankee officials said they have not decided whether to contribute and are reviewing the request.

Marshall Murphy, Maine Yankee spokesman, said the money, if donated, would come from shareholders and not ratepayers.

“That’s very clear and needs to be stated up front,” Murphy said.

He said Maine Yankee never has donated to an ad campaign for a high-level nuclear waste dump.

Nevertheless, nuclear energy opponents said conflicts of interest within the $3.8 million campaign should make Maine Yankee stay away from it. The conflict arises from the authors of an ad campaign proposal who also work as advisers to Nevada officials.

The site in Nevada’s Yucca Mountains, which could give the state a future tax break and millions of federal dollars, is one of three being studied by the Department of Energy. Congress has mandated that a high-level dump be working by the year 2000.

Robert Moldaver, executive director of the Maine Nuclear Referendum Committee, said he was disturbed by the American Nuclear Energy Council’s ad campaign and Maine Yankee’s possible involvement. The committee would protest the possible donation, he said.

“It’s absolutely disgusting to see this strong arming of the people in Nevada,” Moldaver said.

Scott Denman of the Safe Energy Communication Council said it would be hypocritical for Maine Yankee to contribute because Maine residents opposed a high-level dump site during the Energy Department’s preliminary nationwide search in 1986.

Opponents contend the American Nuclear Energy Council is trying to push the nuclear industry to endorse the Nevada dump site.

“Shoving this down Nevadans’ throats is unfair,” Denman said.