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Benchmarking and Incentive Regulation of Quality of Service: an Application to the UK Electricity Distribution Utilities

Author

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  • D. Giannakis

    (Department of Physics, University of Chicago)

  • T. Jamasb

    (Department of Applied Economics, University of Cambridge)

  • M. Pollitt

    (Judge Institute of Management, University of Cambridge)

Abstract

Quality of service has emerged as an important issue in post-reform regulation of electricity distribution networks. Regulators have employed partial incentive schemes to promote cost saving, investment efficiency, and service quality. This paper presents a quality-incorporated benchmarking study of the electricity distribution utilities in the UK between 1991/92 and 1998/99. We calculate technical efficiency of the utilities using Data Envelopment Analysis technique and productivity change over time using quality-incorporated Malmquist indices. We find that cost efficient firms do not necessarily exhibit high service quality and that efficiency scores of cost-only models do not show high correlation with those of quality-based models. The results also show that improvements in service quality have made a significant contribution to the sector’s total productivity change. In addition, we show that integrating quality of service in regulatory benchmarking is preferable to cost-only approaches.
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Suggested Citation

  • D. Giannakis & T. Jamasb & M. Pollitt, 2003. "Benchmarking and Incentive Regulation of Quality of Service: an Application to the UK Electricity Distribution Utilities," Working Papers EP35, Energy Policy Research Group, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
    • Handle: RePEc:enp:wpaper:ep35
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    Cited by:

    1. Christian Growitsch & Tooraj Jamasb & Michael Pollitt, 2009. "Quality of service, efficiency and scale in network industries: an analysis of European electricity distribution," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(20), pages 2555-2570.
    2. Christian von Hirschhausen & Astrid Cullmann & Andreas Kappeler, 2006. "Efficiency analysis of German electricity distribution utilities - non-parametric and parametric tests," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(21), pages 2553-2566.
    3. Darius Corbier & Frédéric Gonand & Marie Bessec, 2015. "Impacts of decentralised power generation on distribution networks: a statistical typology of European countries," Working Papers 1509, Chaire Economie du climat.
    4. Paul L. Joskow, 2014. "Incentive Regulation in Theory and Practice: Electricity Distribution and Transmission Networks," NBER Chapters, in: Economic Regulation and Its Reform: What Have We Learned?, pages 291-344, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Capece, Guendalina & Costa, Roberta & Di Pillo, Francesca, 2021. "Benchmarking the efficiency of natural gas distribution utilities in Italy considering size, ownership, and maturity," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    6. Boscan, Luis & Söderberg, Magnus, 2021. "A theoretical and empirical analysis of district heating cost in Denmark," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    7. Astrid Cullmann & Christian Hirschhausen, 2008. "Efficiency analysis of East European electricity distribution in transition: legacy of the past?," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 155-167, April.
    8. Jann T. Keller & Gerard H. Kuper & Machiel Mulder, 2020. "Competition under revenue-cap regulation with efficiency benchmarking: tariff related incentives for gas transmission system operators in merged markets," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 141-165, December.
    9. Jamasb, Tooraj & Pollitt, Michael, 2007. "Incentive regulation of electricity distribution networks: Lessons of experience from Britain," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 6163-6187, December.
    10. Ismail Saglam, 2024. "The Bayesian approach to monopoly regulation after 40 years," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 65(1), pages 108-136, June.
    11. Jamasb, Tooraj & Pollitt, Michael, 2008. "Reference models and incentive regulation of electricity distribution networks: An evaluation of Sweden's Network Performance Assessment Model (NPAM)," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 1788-1801, May.
    12. Simon Eckermann & Tim Coelli, 2008. "Including quality attributes in a model of health care efficiency: A net benefit approach," CEPA Working Papers Series WP032008, School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia.
    13. Franz, Oliver & Stronzik, Marcus, 2005. "Benchmarking-Ansätze zum Vergleich der Effizienz von Energieunternehmen," WIK Discussion Papers 262, WIK Wissenschaftliches Institut für Infrastruktur und Kommunikationsdienste GmbH.
    14. von Hirschhausen, Christian & Beckers, Thorsten & Brenck, Andreas, 2004. "Infrastructure regulation and investment for the long-term--an introduction," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 203-210, December.
    15. Marques, Vítor & Bento, Nuno & Costa, Paulo Moisés, 2014. "The “Smart Paradox”: Stimulate the deployment of smart grids with effective regulatory instruments," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 96-103.
    16. Mehdi Farsi & Aurelio Fetz & Massimo Filippini, 2007. "Benchmarking and Regulation in the Electricity Distribution Sector," CEPE Working paper series 07-54, CEPE Center for Energy Policy and Economics, ETH Zurich.
    17. Galdeano-Gomez, Emilio & Cespedes-Lorente, Jose & Rodriguez, Manuel Rodriguez, 2005. "Productivity and Quality-Environmental Changes in Marketing Co-operatives: An Analysis on the Horticultural Sector," 2005 International Congress, August 23-27, 2005, Copenhagen, Denmark 24698, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    18. Cheng, Xiaomei & Bjørndal, Endre & Lien, Gudbrand & Bjørndal, Mette, 2015. "Productivity Development for Norwegian Electricity Distribution Companies 2004-2013," Discussion Papers 2015/27, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Business and Management Science.
    19. Pérez-Reyes, Raúl & Tovar, Beatriz, 2009. "Measuring efficiency and productivity change (PTF) in the Peruvian electricity distribution companies after reforms," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 2249-2261, June.
    20. Mikhail Drugov, 2021. "Bargaining with informational and payoff externalities," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 398-419, May.
    21. Andaluz-Alcazar, Alvaro, 2012. "Choix d'investissement sous incertitude des gestionnaires des réseaux de distribution (GRD) en Europe à l'horizon 2030," Economics Thesis from University Paris Dauphine, Paris Dauphine University, number 123456789/10862 edited by Keppler, Jan Horst.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    quality of service; benchmarking; incentive regulation; data envelopment analysis; electricity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities

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