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Transforming China's electricity sector: Politics of institutional change and regulation

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  • Lin, Kun-Chin
  • Purra, Mika M.

Abstract

The political failure of China's first independent regulator in a strategic industry – the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC), 2002–2013 – provides a natural experiment to uncover fundamental challenges to a gradualist approach to electricity market formation. Taking a political institutional approach, we show that while it was largely predictable that the breakup of the monopolistic power industry in 2002 created bureaucratic and corporate interests that would undercut the institutional role of SERC, subsequent difficulties in reforming electricity pricing, dispatch system, and integrating renewable energy sources strongly suggests that a central regulatory body would be necessary to lead a decisive transition to a market-based electricity market.

Suggested Citation

  • Lin, Kun-Chin & Purra, Mika M., 2019. "Transforming China's electricity sector: Politics of institutional change and regulation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 401-410.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:124:y:2019:i:c:p:401-410
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2018.07.041
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    Cited by:

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    4. Mian Yang & Ruofan He & Panbing Wan, 2024. "The transfer of provincial officials and electricity transactions in China," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 198(3), pages 377-402, March.
    5. Li, Minghui & Liu, Chong & Shen, Chaohai, 2020. "Does cheap electricity in a target's location add value to the acquirer? Evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    6. Peng Wang & Meng Li, 2019. "Scenario Analysis in the Electric Power Industry under the Implementation of the Electricity Market Reform and a Carbon Policy in China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-26, June.
    7. Li, T. & Gao, C. & Pollitt, M. & Chen, T. & Ming H., 2022. "Measuring the effects of power system reform in Jiangsu province, China from the perspective of Social Cost Benefit Analysis," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 2247, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    8. Yao, Xin & Huang, Ruting & Du, Kerui, 2019. "The impacts of market power on power grid efficiency: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 99-110.
    9. Zhu, Qingyuan & Xu, Shuqi & Sun, Jiasen & Li, Xingchen & Zhou, Dequn, 2022. "Energy efficiency evaluation of power supply system: A data-driven approach based on shared resources," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).
    10. Zhang, M. & Yang, X.N., 2021. "Administrative framework barriers to energy storage development in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    11. Liu, Jie & Qian, Haoqi & Zhang, Qian & Lin, Zhiyan & Siano, Pierluigi, 2023. "Corruption induced energy inefficiencies: Evidence from China's energy investment projects," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    12. Wang, Pengyu & Fang, Debin & Wang, Shuyi, 2022. "Optimal dynamic regulation in retail electricity market with consumer feedback and social learning," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).

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