IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/amu/wpaper/2016-08.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Effect of Utility Deregulation and Mergers on Consumer Welfare

Author

Listed:
  • Ralph Sonenshine

Abstract

In the late 1990s many US states deregulated their electric utilities, separating generation from transmission, allowing for competition among power generators. As a result there was a significant merger wave among large utility companies. To date the effect of utility deregulation and mergers on electricity prices, while widely studied, remains ambiguous. This study examines the effects of these events by analyzing statewide electricity price and output changes among deregulated and regulated states from the period 2001 through 2014. The study finds that deregulation appears to have a positive impact on social welfare by lowering prices and output by improving efficiencies in part through retail choice programs. However, mergers appear to have a slightly negative effect on social welfare by raising prices and possibly output in deregulated states.

Suggested Citation

  • Ralph Sonenshine, 2016. "Effect of Utility Deregulation and Mergers on Consumer Welfare," Working Papers 2016-08, American University, Department of Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:amu:wpaper:2016-08
    DOI: 10.17606/z6qa-0089
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.17606/z6qa-0089
    File Function: First version, 2016
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.17606/z6qa-0089?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paul L. Joskow, 2006. "Markets for Power in the United States: An Interim Assessment," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 1), pages 1-36.
    2. Paul L. Joskow, 2008. "Lessons Learned From Electricity Market Liberalization," The Energy Journal, , vol. 29(2_suppl), pages 9-42, December.
    3. John Kwoka, 2008. "Restructuring the U.S. Electric Power Sector: A Review of Recent Studies," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 32(3), pages 165-196, May.
    4. Priest, George L, 1993. "The Origins of Utility Regulation and the "Theories of Regulation" Debate," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 36(1), pages 289-323, April.
    5. Berry, S Keith, 2000. "Excess Returns in Electric Utility Mergers during Transition to Competition," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 175-188, September.
    6. Thomas G. Cowing & V. Kerry Smith, 1978. "The Estimation of a Production Technology: A Survey of Econometric Analyses of Steam-Electric Generation," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 54(2), pages 156-186.
    7. Clifford Winston, 1998. "U.S. Industry Adjustment to Economic Deregulation," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 12(3), pages 89-110, Summer.
    8. Kwoka, John & Pollitt, Michael, 2010. "Do mergers improve efficiency? Evidence from restructuring the US electric power sector," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 645-656, November.
    9. John Becker-Blease & Lawrence Goldberg & Fred Kaen, 2008. "Mergers and acquisitions as a response to the deregulation of the electric power industry: value creation or value destruction?," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 21-53, February.
    10. Taber, John T. & Chapman, Duane & Mount, Timothy D., 2005. "Examining the Effects of Deregulation on Retail Electricity Prices," Working Papers 127082, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    11. Fagan, Mark L., 2006. "Measuring and Explaining Electricity Price Changes in Restructured States," The Electricity Journal, Elsevier, vol. 19(5), pages 35-42, June.
    12. George J. Stigler, 1971. "The Theory of Economic Regulation," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 2(1), pages 3-21, Spring.
    13. Jarrell, Gregg A, 1978. "The Demand for State Regulation of the Electric Utility Industry," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 21(2), pages 269-295, October.
    14. Leggio, Karyl B & Lien, Donald, 2000. "Mergers in the Electric Utility Industry in a Deregulatory Environment," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 69-85, January.
    15. Richard A. Posner, 1974. "Theories of Economic Regulation," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 5(2), pages 335-358, Autumn.
    16. Kole, Stacey R & Lehn, Kenneth, 1997. "Deregulation, the Evolution of Corporate Governance Structure, and Survival," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 87(2), pages 421-425, May.
    17. Kaserman, David L & Mayo, John W, 1991. "The Measurement of Vertical Economies and the Efficient Structure of the Electric Utility Industry," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(5), pages 483-502, September.
    18. Scott Hempling, 1995. "Electric Utility Holding Companies: The New Regulatory Challenges," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 71(3), pages 343-353.
    19. Li, Quan & Reuveny, Rafael, 2003. "Economic Globalization and Democracy: An Empirical Analysis," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 33(1), pages 29-54, January.
    20. Ray, Dennis J & Thompson, Howard E, 1990. ""Fifty in Five": The Prospects for Merger in the Electric Utility Industry," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 2(2), pages 111-128, June.
    21. Toru Hattori & Tooraj Jamasb & Michael Pollitt, 2005. "Electricity Distribution in the UK and Japan: A Comparative Efficiency Analysis 1985-1998," The Energy Journal, , vol. 26(2), pages 23-47, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ovtchinnikov, Alexei V., 2013. "Merger waves following industry deregulation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 51-76.
    2. repec:wsr:wpaper:y:2016:i:169 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Bowen, William M. & Hill, Edward (Ned) & Thomas, Andrew & Liu, Ruoran & Henning, Mark, 2023. "Consumer price effects of deregulated electric generation markets: The case of Ohio and the midwestern United States," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    4. Kwoka, John & Pollitt, Michael, 2010. "Do mergers improve efficiency? Evidence from restructuring the US electric power sector," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 645-656, November.
    5. Monastyrenko, Evgenii, 2017. "Eco-efficiency outcomes of mergers and acquisitions in the European electricity industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 258-277.
    6. Tin Cheuk Leung & Kwok Ping Ping & Kevin K. Tsui, 2019. "What can deregulators deregulate? The case of electricity," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 1-32, August.
    7. Simshauser, P., 2020. "Merchant utilities and boundaries of the firm: vertical integration in energy-only markets," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 2039, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    8. Pompei, Fabrizio, 2013. "Heterogeneous effects of regulation on the efficiency of the electricity industry across European Union countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 569-585.
    9. Alexander Hill, 2023. "Price freezes and gas pass-through: an estimation of the price impact of electricity market restructuring," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 63(1), pages 87-116, April.
    10. Kishimoto, Jo & Goto, Mika & Inoue, Kotaro, 2017. "Do acquisitions by electric utility companies create value? Evidence from deregulated markets," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 212-224.
    11. Agustin J. Ros, 2017. "An Econometric Assessment of Electricity Demand in the United States Using Utility-specific Panel Data and the Impact of Retail Competition on Prices," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 4).
    12. Warren, Patrick L. & Wilkening, Tom S., 2012. "Regulatory fog: The role of information in regulatory persistence," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 84(3), pages 840-856.
    13. Mountain, Bruce R., 2019. "Ownership, regulation, and financial disparity: The case of electricity distribution in Australia," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 1-1.
    14. Bickenbach, Frank, 1999. "Regulierung und Wettbewerb im Bereich der Netzinfrastrukturen: Begründung, Regeln und Institutionen," Kiel Working Papers 910, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    15. Tammy L. Madsen & Gordon Walker, 2017. "Competitive heterogeneity, cohorts, and persistent advantage," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 184-202, February.
    16. Gencer, Busra & Larsen, Erik Reimer & van Ackere, Ann, 2020. "Understanding the coevolution of electricity markets and regulation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    17. Pistor, Katharina & Xu, Cheng-Gang, 2002. "Law enforcement under incomplete law: theory and evidence from financial market regulation," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 3748, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    18. Ajayi, Victor & Weyman-Jones, Thomas & Glass, Anthony, 2017. "Cost efficiency and electricity market structure: A case study of OECD countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 283-291.
    19. Luis Gautier & Mahelet G. Fikru, 2024. "Electric Utility Mergers in the Presence of Distributed Renewable Energy," Natural Resource Management and Policy, in: Handbook of Merger Control and Environmental Policy, chapter 0, pages 63-92, Springer.
    20. Teti, Emanuele & Tului, Stefano, 2020. "Do mergers and acquisitions create shareholder value in the infrastructure and utility sectors? Analysis of market perceptions," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    21. Adams, Samuel & Atsu, Francis, 2015. "Assessing the distributional effects of regulation in developing countries," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 713-725.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Abnormal returns; event study; oil shocks;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:amu:wpaper:2016-08. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Thomas Meal (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.american.edu/cas/economics/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.