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Competition and contracts in the Nordic Residential Electricity Markets

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Author Info
Littlechild, S.
Abstract

The main Nordic residential electricity markets (Norway, Sweden and Finland) effectively opened to retail competition around 1998. They have not been subject to regulatory controls on prices or other contract terms. Between 11 and 29 per cent of residential customers have switched suppliers and between a fifth and a half of all residential customers have chosen alternative contractual terms of supply. These alternatives include fixed price contracts ranging from 3 months to five years duration, as well as spot-price related terms, instead of the standard variable tariffs. The use of these alternatives is increasing over time, and there is considerable product innovation. This paper surveys these developments and illustrates with case studies of significant suppliers in each Nordic market. The market is thus ascertaining and bringing about the outcomes that customers prefer. Without retail competition, it is not clear how regulation will replicate this aspect of the market process.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge in its series Cambridge Working Papers in Economics with number 0550.

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Length: 36
Date of creation: Nov 2005
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Handle: RePEc:cam:camdae:0550

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Web page: http://www.econ.cam.ac.uk/index.htm

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Related research
Keywords: retail competition; electricity; regulation; Nordic countries;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:
L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities
L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation
L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation

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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. Nils-Henrik M. von der Fehr & Eirik S. Amundsen & Lars Bergman, 2005. "The Nordic Market: Signs of Stress?," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 26(Special I), pages 71-98.
    Other versions:
  2. Stephen C. Littlechild, 2002. "Competition in Retail Electricity Supply," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0227, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge. [Downloadable!]
  3. Littlechild, S., 2004. "‘UK domestic energy contracts, the 28 day rule, and experience in Sweden’," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0431, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge. [Downloadable!]
  4. Evens SALIES & Catherine WADDAMS, 2004. "Charges, costs and market power in the deregulated UK electricity retail market," Industrial Organization 0406003, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
  5. Joskow, P.L., 2003. "The Difficult Transition to Competitive Electricity Markets in the U.S," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0328, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Green, Richard & McDaniel, Tanga, 1998. "Competition in Electricity Supply: Will '1998' be Worth it?," CEPR Discussion Papers 1814, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  7. Stephen C. Littlechild, 2001. "Competition And Regulation In The U.K. Electricity Industry (With A Brief Look At California)," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 13(4), pages 21-38. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Monica Giulietti & Catherine Waddams Price & Michael Waterson, 2005. "Consumer Choice and Competition Policy: a Study of UK Energy Markets," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 115(506), pages 949-968, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Evens Salies & Catherine Waddams Price, 2004. "Charges, Costs and Market Power: the Deregulated UK Electricity Retail Market," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 25(3), pages 19-36.
  10. Littlechild, Stephen C, 2003. "Wholesale Spot Price Pass-Through," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 61-91, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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