Viewer Responses

I would like to know if there is any way to purchase a copy of this production. Please let me know. Thanks.

Michelle F.
Belvedere, CA
November 26, 2003

Yes, you can order videos online through the IdahoPTV video store or you can order by phone at 1 or in the Boise-Treasure Valley area.

. . . . Assuring that the Electric Utility Industry is capable of providing an adequate, highly reliable and affordable supply of power is vital to our Nation's socio-economic health. As we participants expressed our views, it was apparent how difficult the choices before us will be. "The Price of Power" served to educate the general public on the options before us. This was Public Television at its best. Thank you.

Peter T. Johnson
Portland, OR
December 3, 2003

Ed. note: Johnson participated in the studio discussion for "The Price of Power."

A balanced presentation. Interesting to hear the reasoned remarks of the science and business trained panelists and the emotional political responses of the lawyer politician types. If there are to be more of us in the future, living in the United States, we will simply need more energy. If we are to cut back it should be in population. Improved efficiency in production and use is wonderful, but rationing mentality of conservation is a feel-good sentiment with very little application beyond its political appeal. Where can I get one of those 1,000 horsepower engines?

Meanwhile China builds dams, Europe and Asia build nuclear power, our manufacturing and farming capabilities decrease and we turn out more lawyers every year and fewer engineers. Good show. If you could expand the comments by providing facts and sources for research? Make the tough analysis (those antelope looked happy enough around the gas wells, but I saw no birds around the wind turbines). Why not lead the world instead of running away. Thanks for an exciting evening.

Ray Gehlbach
West Linn, Oregon
November 25, 2003

I would like to see a program / production that studies, in detail, the practical reasons for nuclear energy plants for Idaho, considering the following:

• A. Europe is using them more and more; what can we learn from them?
• B. The US military uses nuclear energy to run submarines and aircraft carriers, for the last 40 years, or so. Do we really need to fear being close to nuclear energy plants, such as right here in the foothills of Boise? or, just behind them?
• C. What about breeder reactors that make their own fuel?
• D. Imagine all the power transmission towers that could be eliminated cross country if we had our own nuclear power plants for the Boise valley located in the Boise valley?

Ron
Boise, Idaho
November 25, 2003

I found your panelists an interesting mix of public officials and lobbyists. I was surprised that Scottish Power was not represented along with an official from The Edison Electric Institute, the American Public Power Association, EPRI, or a public or private utility that has renewable resource experience.

Having spent 20 years as an energy consultant, it is my opinion that this country is about to make a long-term error as to the best way to maintain adequate energy supplies. We will need a global perspective to make such sweeping decisions, an educated public, and politicians that put the future and that of their children over political or economic gain.

I am profoundly concerned that we have lost, for very short-term profit motives, the public education process that was funded by public and private utilities for over 40 years. Utilities no longer support community relations in education with unbiased third party materials regarding energy resources and conservation. This, at a time when severe cuts in education are affecting nearly all the states, is unforgivably troubling. It seems that energy providers never fully realized the potential and an educated public is their best friend and a huge marketing bonanza.

Most importantly, the growing concern that current Energy Policy was written outside of public comment and has credibility/transparency problems. Shockingly, no where in this legislation, in any meaningful measure, are renewable or conservation part of the basic policy directives. Congressional Energy Policy currently confronting the Senate reads like "dig more, burn more, use more." Is this the type of forward thinking that made this country the economic engine of the world? I think not.

R Donin
Portland, Oregon
November 25, 2003

Weightless dynamos spin free in a vacuum, e.g., Earth

We could put sun mills (solar powered dynamos) in Earth orbit. Then, beam the infinite, cheap, clean energy down to the planet, and into the grids. Low pollution, no nuclear waste to store for the next eon, and no damming of rivers. How long will the Earth spin? Dynamos in the weightless vacuum of space spin forever!

This makes electric cars that work like big slot cars possible. Also, large scale desalination and irrigation become viable. Let's irrigate Death Valley!

Limitless power, water, and food! I've heard Mitsubishi is building one of these sun mills (I e-mailed Japan [and many others] years ago).

Ben R. McConnell
Hope, Idaho
November 25, 2003

I very much enjoyed your presentation "Price of Power." This type of presentation is very valuable for helping the public to understand the many facets of the cost of energy production.

I have one "bone to pick" and that has to do with the environmentalists continued pushing their agenda with half-truths and "facts" based upon emotion. Before retirement, I spent half my professional life working and living in Wyoming. As a geologist I have tromped most of the valleys and mountains of that great state and have especially traveled the Red Desert from one end to the other. While there are scattered herds of wild horses and numerous bands of deer and antelope, I have never witnessed the huge migration of wildlife that the environmentalists contend cross the Red Desert. There are numerous elk and a few moose that live in the Bridger Wilderness and adjoining mountains but these animals tend to stay close to the areas they are the most familiar with. The environmentalists would like us to think that a huge migration takes place similar to the caribou of Alaska. Not so! There are oil and gas wells all over the state. Deer and antelope largely ignore the wells and are often seen grazing close by the pumps with little regard to the trucks and other machinery operating nearby. I realize environmentalists love to grandstand to the city folk who have never been in these remote areas, but reality has little to do with envioronmental emotion. I doubt that "eight wells per a square mile" will barely show on the animal's radar.

Darrell E. Spilde
Vancouver, WA
November 26, 2003

Wanted: Public Discussion On Energy Independence

I hope the people of the West can start a dialogue to discuss the best ways we can become energy independent. Maybe some credits to our small farmers in wind zones, helping struggling dairies to convert biomass to fuel. We must promote transportation alternatives and change zoning laws to allow small businesses the ability to open in neighbohoods (and reducing transportation need). As oil dwindles, changes will be made; the question is whether the mass of people will be involved in the discussion of how the costs and benefits of those changes are distributed.

Matthew Alex Neiwirth
Boise, ID
November 26, 2003

Navigation Links

Energy News