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Using Forward Contracts to Reduce Regulatory Capture

Author

Listed:
  • Felix Höffler

    (Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, Bonn)

  • Sebastian Kranz

    (University of Bonn, Department of Economics)

Abstract

A fully unbundled, regulated network fi?rm of unknown efficiency level can undertake unobservable effort to increase the likelihood of low downstream prices, e.g., by facilitating downstream competition. To incentivize such effort, the regulator can use an incentive scheme paying transfers to the ?firm contingent on realized downstream prices. Alternatively, the regulator can propose to the ?firm to sell the following forward contracts: the fi?rm pays the downstream price to the owners of a contract, but receives the expected value of the contracts when selling them to a competitive fi?nancial market. We compare the two regulatory tools with respect to regulatory capture: if the regulator can be bribed to suppress information on the underlying state of the world (the basic probability of high downstream prices, or the type of the firm), optimal regulation uses forward contracts only.

Suggested Citation

  • Felix Höffler & Sebastian Kranz, 2011. "Using Forward Contracts to Reduce Regulatory Capture," Discussion Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods 2011_09, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods.
    • Handle: RePEc:mpg:wpaper:2011_09
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Höffler, Felix & Wambach, Achim, 2013. "Investment Coordination in Network Industries: The Case of Electricity Grid and Electricity," EWI Working Papers 2013-12, Energiewirtschaftliches Institut an der Universitaet zu Koeln (EWI).
    2. Yusuke Ikuta & Takashi Yanagawa, 2023. "Ownership structure of nuclear power plants for fair competition and efficiency: private low-cost access versus public ownership," International Journal of Economic Policy Studies, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 307-330, February.
    3. Felix Höffler & Achim Wambach, 2013. "Investment coordination in network industries: the case of electricity grid and electricity generation," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 287-307, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Incentive regulation; regulatory capture; virtual power plants;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K23 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Regulated Industries and Administrative Law
    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities
    • L43 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Legal Monopolies and Regulation or Deregulation
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation

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