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Netznutzungsentgelte als Wettbewerbshindernis? Diskriminierungsanreize und Regulierung in liberalisierten Strommärkten – Eine spieltheoretische Analyse <br> <br> The Access Pricing Problem: Incentives to Discriminate and the Regulation of Access Charges – a game theoretic analysis

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Author Info
Dieter Schmidtchen (Universität des Saarlandes)
Christoph Bier (Center for the Study of Law and Economics (CSLE), Saarbrücken)
Abstract

The purpose of the paper is (1) to analyze the incentives for a vertically integrated input monopolist to engage in price-discrimination when there is downstream entry, and (2) to examine the question, whether a cost-based regulation of access charges for electricity grids enhances competition in the downstream-market. The paper also derives the welfare effects of both the liberalization of the downstream-market and the cost-based regulation. The paper shows that the incumbent will never block entry if the entrant is more efficient than the incumbent. The reason is that the input-monopolist can make more profit through input sales than it could generate by producing the downstream product itself. If the entrant does not have a cost advantage either the incumbent or the entrant gets a monopoly position. Providing for a level playing field by means of a cost-based regulation of access charges always lowers prices in the downstream-market. Zusammenfassung: Das Paper untersucht zwei Fragen: (1) wann hat ein Stromnetzbetreiber, der zugleich im nachgelagerten Strommarkt tätig ist (vertikal integrierter Netzbetreiber) Anreiz, durch diskriminierende Festsetzung von Netznutzungsentgelten die Konkurrenz im Strommarkt zu behindern? (2) Kann eine kostenorientierte Regulierung der Netznutzungsentgelte mit dem Ziel eines diskriminierungsfreien Netzzugangs für mehr Wettbewerb Strommarkt sorgen? Das Paper untersucht auch die Wohlfahrtseffekte einer Liberalisierung der Strommärkte sowie einer kostenorientierten Regulierung der Netznutzungsentgelte. Das Paper zeigt, daß der vertikal integrierte Netzbetreiber niemals Konkurrenten diskriminieren wird, wenn diese Strom kostengünstiger erzeugen als er. Er wird sie vielmehr zum Markteintritt einladen und über das Netznutzungsentgelt an ihrem Kostenvorsprung partizipieren. Wenn der Konkurrent keinen Kostenvorteil aufweist, ist der Anreiz zur Marktabschottung groß. Eine kostenorientierte Regulierung der Netznutzungsentgelte zur Schaffung fairen Wettbewerbs senkt die Strompreise und fördert die Interessen der Stromverbraucher.

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Paper provided by Berkeley Electronic Press in its series German Working Papers in Law and Economics with number 2006-1-1158.

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Handle: RePEc:bep:dewple:2006-1-1158

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Related research
Keywords: Strommarkt; Netznutzungsentgelte; Preisdiskriminierung; „raising rivals costs“;

Find related papers by JEL classification:
L43 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Legal Monopolies and Regulation or Deregulation
L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Gert Brunekreeft, 2002. "Regulation and Third-Party Discrimination in the German Electricity Supply Industry," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 203-220, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  3. Susanne Bonomo & Massimo Filippini & Peter Zweifel, 1998. "Neue Aufschlüsse über die Elektrizitätsnachfrage der schweizerischen Haushalte," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics (SJES), Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES), vol. 134(III), pages 415-436, September. [Downloadable!]
  4. Weisman, Dennis L & Kang, Jaesung, 2001. "Incentives for Discrimination when Upstream Monopolists Participate in Downstream Markets," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 125-39, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Silk, Julian I. & Joutz, Frederick L., 1997. "Short and long-run elasticities in US residential electricity demand: a co-integration approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 493-513, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  7. Muller, Chr. & Wienken, W., 2004. "Measuring the degree of economic opening in the German electricity market," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 283-290, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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    Other versions:
  9. Song, Jae-Do & Kim, Jae-Cheol, 2001. "Strategic Reaction of Vertically Integrated Firms to Downstream Entry: Deterrence or Accommodation," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 183-99, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Rey, Patrick & Tirole, Jean, 2003. "A Primer on Foreclosure," IDEI Working Papers 203, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse, revised Nov 2005. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  11. David M. Kreps & Jose A. Scheinkman, 1983. "Quantity Precommitment and Bertrand Competition Yield Cournot Outcomes," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 14(2), pages 326-337, Autumn. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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