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The impact of regulation on pricing behavior in the Spanish electricity market (2002–2005)

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  • Ciarreta, Aitor
  • Espinosa, María Paz

Abstract

In this paper we measure the impact of regulatory measures which affected the Spanish electricity wholesale market between 2002 and 2005. Our approach is based on the fact that regulation changes incentives for firms and therefore their market behavior. In the absence of any regulation, firms would choose profit-maximizing prices on their residual demands so that the observed gap between optimal and actual prices provides a measure of the effect of regulation. Our results indicate that regulation has decreased wholesale prices considerably, but became less effective at the end of the sample period which explains the regulatory regime change introduced in 2006.

Suggested Citation

  • Ciarreta, Aitor & Espinosa, María Paz, 2012. "The impact of regulation on pricing behavior in the Spanish electricity market (2002–2005)," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 2039-2045.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:34:y:2012:i:6:p:2039-2045
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2012.07.007
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    Cited by:

    1. Shawkat Hammoudeh & Amine Lahiani & Duc Khuong Nguyen & Ricardo M. Sousa, 2014. "Asymmetric and nonlinear passthrough of energy prices to CO2 emission allowance prices," Working Papers 2014-82, Department of Research, Ipag Business School.
    2. Richard Benjamin, 2016. "Tacit Collusion in Electricity Markets with Uncertain Demand," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 48(1), pages 69-93, February.
    3. Victor F. Moutinho & António C. Moreira & João Paulo C. Bento, 2018. "Strategic decisions on bilateral bidding behavior: evidence from a wholesale electricity market," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 54(3), pages 1353-1387, May.
    4. repec:ehu:dfaeii:10012 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Hammoudeh, Shawkat & Lahiani, Amine & Nguyen, Duc Khuong & Sousa, Ricardo M., 2015. "An empirical analysis of energy cost pass-through to CO2 emission prices," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 149-156.
    6. Ciarreta, Aitor & Espinosa, Maria Paz & Pizarro-Irizar, Cristina, 2017. "Has renewable energy induced competitive behavior in the Spanish electricity market?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 171-182.
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    8. Jaime Sánchez-Ortiz & Teresa García-Valderrama & Vanessa Rodríguez-Cornejo & Yolanda Giner-Manso, 2020. "The effects of environmental regulation on the efficiency of distribution electricity companies in Spain," Energy & Environment, , vol. 31(1), pages 3-20, February.
    9. Richard Benjamin, 2016. "Tacit Collusion in Electricity Markets with Uncertain Demand," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 48(1), pages 69-93, February.
    10. Shawkat Hammoudeh & Duc Khuong Nguyen & Ricardo M. Sousa, 2014. "What explains the short," Working Papers 2014-81, Department of Research, Ipag Business School.
    11. Di Cosmo, Valeria & Lynch, Muireann Á., 2016. "Competition and the single electricity market: Which lessons for Ireland?," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 40-47.
    12. Victor Moutinho & Ant nio Carrizo Moreira & Jorge H. Mota, 2015. "Measuring the Simultaneous Quantity Game in OMEL Spot Electricity Market," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 5(1), pages 305-320.
    13. Komain Jiranyakul, 2015. "Oil Price Volatility and Real Effective Exchange Rate: The Case of Thailand," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 5(2), pages 574-579.
    14. repec:ipg:wpaper:2014-081 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Hammoudeh, Shawkat & Nguyen, Duc Khuong & Sousa, Ricardo M., 2014. "What explain the short-term dynamics of the prices of CO2 emissions?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 122-135.
    16. Wang, Zheng-Xin & He, Ling-Yang & Li, Dan-Dan, 2019. "Assessment of the degree of order in the organisational structure of electricity regulatory institution in China based on shannon entropy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 429-439.
    17. Hongjun Peng & Tao Pang & Fuliang Cao & Juan Zhao, 2018. "A Mutual Subsidy Mechanism for a Seasonal Product Supply Chain Channel Under Double Price Regulation," Asia-Pacific Journal of Operational Research (APJOR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 35(06), pages 1-26, December.
    18. Moutinho, Victor & Moreira, António C. & Mota, Jorge, 2014. "Do regulatory mechanisms promote competition and mitigate market power? Evidence from Spanish electricity market," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 403-412.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Electricity markets; Market power; Regulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities
    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection

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