Impacts of the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act on the Development of Energy Resources in the Pacific Northwest: An Analysis of the Resource Acquisition Priority Scheme

This article discusses how the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act may affect the region\u27s choice of resources to construct. Potential choices range from conventional resources such as coal and nuclear to renewable resources such as geothermal, biomass, wave, tidal, solar, and wind. In addition, conservation and cogeneration are now viable energy alternatives. This discussion focuses on PNEPPCA\u27s resource acquisition priority scheme and provides an overview of the incentives and disincentives which may influence the resource selection process. Rather than predicting which resources the region\u27s utilities may ultimately construct, this article analyzes the legal barriers proponents of particular resources must overcome and the tools those proponents may employ to advance their respective interests