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A test of vertical economies for non-vertically integrated firms: The case of rural electric cooperatives

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  • Greer, Monica L.

Abstract

This paper seeks to evaluate unrealized economies of vertical integration for rural electric cooperatives. Given the well-established network economies that are inherent in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, the coops long-standing choice of market structure is questionable (especially if their strategy is welfare maximization). Organized as either generation-and-transmission or distribution-only, the traditional measures of vertical economies will not work. Thus, I have devised an alternative method by which to measure such economies and find that, on average, cost savings in excess of 39% could have been realized had the coops adopted a vertically integrated structure.

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  • Greer, Monica L., 2008. "A test of vertical economies for non-vertically integrated firms: The case of rural electric cooperatives," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 679-687, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:30:y:2008:i:3:p:679-687
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mark J. Roberts, 1986. "Economies of Density and Size in the Production and Delivery of Electric Power," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 62(4), pages 378-387.
    2. Greer, Monica Lynne, 2003. "Can rural electric cooperatives survive in a restructured US electric market? An empirical analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 487-508, September.
    3. Gilsdorf, Keith, 1994. "Vertical integration efficiencies and electric utilities: A cost complementarity perspective," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 261-282.
    4. Williamson, Oliver E, 1971. "The Vertical Integration of Production: Market Failure Considerations," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 61(2), pages 112-123, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Paul Nillesen and Michael Pollitt, 2021. "Ownership Unbundling of Electricity Distribution Networks," Economics of Energy & Environmental Policy, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 1).
    2. Gugler, Klaus & Liebensteiner, Mario & Schmitt, Stephan, 2017. "Vertical disintegration in the European electricity sector: Empirical evidence on lost synergies," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 450-478.
    3. Fetz, Aurelio & Filippini, Massimo, 2010. "Economies of vertical integration in the Swiss electricity sector," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 1325-1330, November.
    4. Thomas P. Triebs & David S. Saal & Pablo Arocena & Subal C. Kumbhakar, 2016. "Estimating economies of scale and scope with flexible technology," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 173-186, April.
    5. Sven Heim, Bastian Krieger, and Mario Liebensteiner, 2020. "Unbundling, Regulation, and Pricing: Evidence from Electricity Distribution," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Special I).
    6. Ohler, Adrienne M., 2014. "Behavior of the firm under rate-of-return regulation with two capital inputs," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 61-69.
    7. Gilcrease, Winston & DiCosmo, Valeria & Padovan, Dario, 2022. "Trends of rural electric cooperatives in the United States from 1990 to 2019: An empirical analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    8. Hueth, Brent & Jang, Heesun, 2016. "Ownership, Pricing, and Productivity: Evidence from Electric Distribution Cooperatives," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 239254, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    9. Heesun Jang, 2020. "Ownership, pricing, and productivity: the case of electric distribution cooperatives," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 977-1001, August.
    10. Goto, Mika & Inoue, Tomohiro & Sueyoshi, Toshiyuki, 2013. "Structural reform of Japanese electric power industry: Separation between generation and transmission & distribution," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 186-200.

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