Date of Award

2013

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Coe, Richard

Keywords

BPA, Preference Clause, Electricity, Hydroelectric Power

Area of Concentration

Economics

Abstract

This study examines the effects of the preference clause in allocating hydroelectric power. Unlike other forms of generation, much of the hydropower resources in the Pacific Northwest are owned by the federal government. Hydroelectric power also has lower costs than alternative forms of generation. The Bonneville Power Administration is federal agency charged with marketing this power. As electric demand has grown in the region, it has been forced to ration access to hydroelectric power. The BPA uses the federally mandated preference clause to determine the allocation of electricity. According to the preference clause, public utilities are given first preference to BPA marketed power. This thesis examines the far reaching effects that the preference clause has had on the region's electricity markets and also examines the comparative efficiencies of public and private electric utility ownership.

Rights

The author has granted New College of Florida the nonexclusive right to archive, make accessible, and distribute for educational purposes this work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The copyright of this work remains with the author.

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