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Power it up: Strengthening the electricity sector to improve efficiency and support economic activity

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  • Di Bella, Gabriel
  • Grigoli, Francesco

Abstract

Poor performance of the electricity sector remains a drag to economic efficiency and a bottleneck to economic activity in many low-income countries. This paper proposes a number of models that account for different equilibria (some better, some worse) of the electricity sector. They show how policy choices (affecting insolvency prospects or related to rules for electricity dispatching or tariff setting), stochastic generation costs, and initial conditions, affect investment in generation and electricity supply. They also show how credible (non-credible) promises of stronger enforcement to reduce theft result in larger (smaller) electricity supply, lower (higher) government subsidies, and lower (higher) tariffs and distribution losses, which in turn affect economic activity. To illustrate these findings, the paper reviews the experience of Haiti, a country stuck in a bad equilibrium of insufficient supply, high prices, and electricity theft; and that of Nicaragua, which is gradually transitioning to a better equilibrium.

Suggested Citation

  • Di Bella, Gabriel & Grigoli, Francesco, 2017. "Power it up: Strengthening the electricity sector to improve efficiency and support economic activity," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 375-386.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:67:y:2017:i:c:p:375-386
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2017.08.019
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. International Monetary Fund, 2013. "Haiti: Selected Issues," IMF Staff Country Reports 2013/091, International Monetary Fund.
    2. International Monetary Fund, 2015. "Haiti: Selected Issues," IMF Staff Country Reports 2015/158, International Monetary Fund.
    3. Strand, Jon, 2012. "Low-level versus high-level equilibrium in public utility services," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(1), pages 163-172.
    4. Gabriel Di Bella & Mr. Lawrence Norton & Mr. Joseph Ntamatungiro & Ms. Sumiko Ogawa & Issouf Samaké & Marika Santoro, 2015. "Energy Subsidies in Latin America and the Caribbean: Stocktaking and Policy Challenges," IMF Working Papers 2015/030, International Monetary Fund.
    5. Alam, M. Shahid, 2006. "Economic Growth with Energy," MPRA Paper 1260, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Payne, James E., 2010. "A survey of the electricity consumption-growth literature," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(3), pages 723-731, March.
    7. International Monetary Fund, 2012. "Nicaragua: Selected Issues," IMF Staff Country Reports 2012/257, International Monetary Fund.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Jamasb, Tooraj & Llorca, Manuel & Khetrapal, Pavan & Thakur, Tripta, 2021. "Institutions and performance of regulated firms: Evidence from electricity distribution in India," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 68-82.
    2. Tooraj Jamasb & Manuel Llorca & Pavan Khetrapal & Tripta Thakur, 2018. "Institutions and Performance of Regulated Firms: Evidence from Electric Utilities in the Indian States," Working Papers EPRG 1809, Energy Policy Research Group, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
    3. Cheng, Shulei & Wu, Yinyin & Chen, Hua & Chen, Jiandong & Song, Malin & Hou, Wenxuan, 2019. "Determinants of changes in electricity generation intensity among different power sectors," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 389-408.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Credible and non-credible promises; Economic efficiency; Economic infrastructure; Electricity sector; Electricity theft; Haiti; Nicaragua;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q43 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy and the Macroeconomy
    • Q47 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy Forecasting
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy

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