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Missing data and the effects of market deregulation: Evidence from Chinese coal power

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  • Eisenberg, Tom

Abstract

A series of market reforms were introduced in 2002 in the Chinese wholesale coal power sector. The period immediately after extremely volatile for this industry, and it is generally accepted that many of the reforms were not fully enacted. Yet, researchers consistently find that these reforms resulted in efficiency gains for power plants. Using new physical and matched financial data, as opposed to only financial data, I find no evidence that there were efficiency gains at the plant-level. I also find that in the aggregate there were large productivity declines over this period. Any measurable gains in either case are mainly due to input and output price fluctuations.

Suggested Citation

  • Eisenberg, Tom, 2024. "Missing data and the effects of market deregulation: Evidence from Chinese coal power," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:indorg:v:93:y:2024:i:c:s0167718724000092
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijindorg.2024.103054
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Electricity; China; Competition; Productivity; Efficiency; Deregulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • Q43 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy and the Macroeconomy
    • L33 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Comparison of Public and Private Enterprise and Nonprofit Institutions; Privatization; Contracting Out
    • P28 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Natural Resources; Environment

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