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Long-Run Cost Functions for Electricity Transmission

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  • Juan Rosellón
  • Ingo Vogelsang
  • Hannes Weigt

Abstract

Electricity transmission has become the pivotal industry segment for electricity restructuring. Yet, little is known about the shape of transmission cost functions. Reasons for this can be a lack of consensus about the definition of transmission output and the complexitity of the relationship between optimal grid expansion and output expansion. Knowledge of transmission cost functions could help firms (Transcos) and regulators plan transmission expansion and could help design regulatory incentive mechanisms. We explore transmission cost functions when the transmission output is defined as point-to-point transactions or financial transmission right (FTR) obligations and particularly explore expansion under loop-flows. We test the behavior of FTR-based cost functions for distinct network topologies and find evidence that cost functions defined as FTR outputs are piecewise differentiable and that they contain sections with negative marginal costs. Simulations, however, illustrate that such unusual properties do not stand in the way of applying price-cap incentive mechanisms to real-world transmission expansion.

Suggested Citation

  • Juan Rosellón & Ingo Vogelsang & Hannes Weigt, 2010. "Long-Run Cost Functions for Electricity Transmission," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1020, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp1020
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ruiz, Erix & Rosellón, Juan, 2012. "Transmission investment in the Peruvian electricity market: Theory and applications," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 238-245.
    2. Hagspiel, Simeon & Jägemann, Cosima & Lindenberger, Dietmar & Brown, Tom & Cherevatskiy, Stanislav & Tröster, Eckehard, 2013. "Cost-Optimal Power System Extension under Flow-Based Market Coupling," EWI Working Papers 2013-9, Energiewirtschaftliches Institut an der Universitaet zu Koeln (EWI).
    3. Anne Neumann & Juan Rosellón & Hannes Weigt, 2015. "Removing Cross-Border Capacity Bottlenecks in the European Natural Gas Market—A Proposed Merchant-Regulatory Mechanism," Networks and Spatial Economics, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 149-181, March.
    4. Herrera, Luis Ángel & Rosellón, Juan, 2014. "On distributive effects of optimal regulation for power grid expansion," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 189-204.
    5. Egerer, Jonas & Rosellón, Juan & Schill, Wolf-Peter, 2015. "Power System Transformation toward Renewables: An Evaluation of Regulatory Approaches for Network Expansion," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 36(4), pages 105-128.
    6. N. Gülpınar & F. Oliveira, 2014. "Analysis of relationship between forward and spot markets in oligopolies under demand and cost uncertainties," Computational Management Science, Springer, vol. 11(3), pages 267-283, July.
    7. Schill, Wolf-Peter & Egerer, Jonas & Rosellón, Juan, 2015. "Testing Regulatory Regimes for Power Transmission Expansion with Fluctuating Demand and Wind Generation," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 47(1), pages 1-28.
    8. von Hirschhausen, Christian, 2012. "Green electricity investment in Europe: Development scenarios for generation and transmission investments," EIB Working Papers 2012/04, European Investment Bank (EIB).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Electricity transmission; cost function; incentive regulation; merchant investment; congestion management;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • L91 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Transportation: General
    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities
    • Q40 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - General

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