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Public Service Perspectives On Reforms Of Electricity Distribution And Supply: A Modular Analysis

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  • Ute Dubois
  • Roxana Saplacan

Abstract

ABSTRACT**: This article analyzes organizational change in electricity distribution and retail businesses and its impact on public service issues. Organizational change has resulted from the European electricity directives, especially the EU Electricity directive 2003/54/EC, which has imposed major transformations on these activities, requiring legal unbundling of electricity distribution networks by 1 July 2007. Organizational change has also resulted from an adaptation of companies to the newly competitive environment. This has led to a diversity of organizational choices across Europe. We analyze this diversity by using a modular approach, which decomposes reforms in electricity distribution and retail into logical ‘blocks’. We then examine how European countries have dealt with two policy and regulatory issues related to customer protection in that new environment: the regulation of quality of distribution, which is a task of regulators, and energy affordability policies for vulnerable customers, which are a central aspect of public service policies in the electricity sector.

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  • Ute Dubois & Roxana Saplacan, 2010. "Public Service Perspectives On Reforms Of Electricity Distribution And Supply: A Modular Analysis," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 81(2), pages 313-356, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:annpce:v:81:y:2010:i:2:p:313-356
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8292.2010.00413.x
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    1. Judith Clifton & Daniel Díaz‐Fuentes & Marcos Fernández‐Gutiérrez & Julio Revuelta, 2011. "Is Market‐Oriented Reform Producing A ‘Two‐Track’ Europe? Evidence From Electricity And Telecommunications," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 82(4), pages 495-513, December.
    2. Guillermo Ivan Pereira & Patrícia Pereira Silva & Deborah Soule, 2018. "Policy-adaptation for a smarter and more sustainable EU electricity distribution industry: a foresight analysis," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 231-267, December.
    3. Borne, Olivier & Korte, Klaas & Perez, Yannick & Petit, Marc & Purkus, Alexandra, 2018. "Barriers to entry in frequency-regulation services markets: Review of the status quo and options for improvements," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P1), pages 605-614.
    4. Pier Angelo Mori, 2013. "Customer ownership of public utilities: new wine in old bottles," Journal of Entrepreneurial and Organizational Diversity, European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises, vol. 2(1), pages 54-74, August.
    5. Soares, N. & Martins, A.G. & Carvalho, A.L. & Caldeira, C. & Du, C. & Castanheira, É. & Rodrigues, E. & Oliveira, G. & Pereira, G.I. & Bastos, J. & Ferreira, J.P. & Ribeiro, L.A. & Figueiredo, N.C. & , 2018. "The challenging paradigm of interrelated energy systems towards a more sustainable future," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 171-193.

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