This file is part of IDEAS, which uses RePEc data


[ Papers | Articles | Software | Books | Chapters | Authors | Institutions | JEL Classification | NEP reports | Search | New papers by email | Author registration | Rankings | Volunteers | FAQ | Blog | Help! ]

A Quantitative Analysis of Pricing Behavior in California's Wholesale Electricity Market During Summer 2000

Author info | Abstract | Publisher info | Download info | Related research | Statistics
Author Info
Paul Joskow
Edward Kahn

Additional information is available for the following registered author(s):

Abstract

We simulate competitive benchmark wholesale prices for electricity in California during the summer of 2000, taking account of changes in natural gas prices, electricity demand, and imports of electricity from other states during this time period. We also examine the impact of changes in the prices of NOx emissions permits on estimated competitive benchmark prices for electricity. The competitive benchmark prices are then compared to actual prices. A significant fraction of the changes in wholesale electricity prices in California during Summer 2000 can be explained by these four factors. The impact of higher NOx permit prices, and their interaction with reduced imports into California, have a particularly large impact on competitive benchmark prices. However, during June, July and August a large unexplained difference between actual prices and competitive benchmark prices remains. We tentatively attribute this difference to supplier market power and related market imperfections. We then examine whether there is evidence of strategic behavior by suppliers during the highest priced hours during the summer. Evidence of supply withholding --- exercise of market power --- during these hours is identified.

Download Info
To download:

If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. Information about this may be contained in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.

File URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w8157.pdf
File Format: application/pdf
File Function:
Download Restriction: Access to the full text is generally limited to series subscribers, however if the top level domain of the client browser is in a developing country or transition economy free access is provided. More information about subscriptions and free access is available at http://www.nber.org/wwphelp.html.

As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version under "Related research" (further below) or search for a different version of it.

Publisher Info
Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number 8157.

Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML (with abstract), plain text (with abstract), BibTeX, RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite), ReDIF
Length:
Date of creation: Mar 2001
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:8157

Note: IO
Contact details of provider:
Postal: National Bureau of Economic Research, 1050 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
Phone: 617-868-3900
Email:
Web page: http://www.nber.org
More information through EDIRC

For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: ().

Related research
Keywords:

Other versions of this item:

This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports: 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. Catherine D. Wolfram, 1999. "Measuring Duopoly Power in the British Electricity Spot Market," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(4), pages 805-826, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Borenstein, Severin & Bushnell, James, 1999. "An Empirical Analysis of the Potential for Market Power in California's Electricity Industry," Journal of Industrial Economics, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 47(3), pages 285-323, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  3. Joskow, P.L., 1989. "Regulatory Failure, Regulatory Reform And Structural Change In The Electric Power Industry," Working papers 516, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Department of Economics.
  4. Severin Borenstein & James Bushnell & Frank Wolak, 1999. "Diagnosing Market Power in California's Deregulated Wholesale Electricity Market," Competition Policy Center, Working Paper Series CPC99-007, Competition Policy Center, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley. [Downloadable!]
  5. repec:cup:cbooks:9780521023894 is not listed on IDEAS
Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, 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. Stephen P. Holland & Michael Moore, 2008. "When to Pollute, When to Abate? Intertemporal Permit Use in the Los Angeles NOx Market," NBER Working Papers 14254, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Debashis Pal & Arup Bose & David Sappington, 2008. "Pareto Improving Inefficiency," University of Cincinnati, Economics Working Papers Series 2008-04, University of Cincinnati, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  3. SANIN, Maria Eugenia, 2006. "Market design in wholesale electricity markets," CORE Discussion Papers 2006100, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE). [Downloadable!]
  4. Tanga McDaniel & Neuhoff, K., 2002. "Use of Long-term Auctions for Network Investment," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0213, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Juan Pablo Montero, 2009. "Market Power in Pollution Permit Markets," Documentos de Trabajo 355, Instituto de Economía. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.. [Downloadable!]
  6. Reiss, Peter C. & White, Matthew W., 2003. "Demand and Pricing in Electricity Markets: Evidence from San Diego During California's Energy Crisis," Research Papers 1829, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business. [Downloadable!]
  7. Hoel, Michael, 2004. "Electricity prices in a mixed thermal and hydropower system," Memorandum 28/2004, Oslo University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  8. Jamasb, T., 2002. "Reform and Regulation of the Electricity Sectors in Developing Countries," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0226, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge. [Downloadable!]
  9. James Alm & Edward Sennoga & Mark Skidmore, 2005. "Perfect Competition, Spatial Competition, and Tax Incidence in the Retail Gasoline Market," Working Papers 05-09, UW-Whitewater, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  10. Meredith Fowlie & Christopher R. Knittel & Catherine Wolfram, 2008. "Sacred Cars? Optimal Regulation of Stationary and Non-stationary Pollution Sources," NBER Working Papers 14504, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. Jason P. Martinek & Michael J. Orlando, 2002. "Neither Lucky Nor Good - The Case of Electricity Deregulation in California," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 33(1), pages 75-82. [Downloadable!]
  12. Meredith Fowlie, 2008. "Incomplete Environmental Regulation, Imperfect Competition, and Emissions Leakage," NBER Working Papers 14421, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  13. Twomey, P. & Green, R. & Neuhoff, K. & Newbery, D., 2005. "A Review of the Monitoring of Market Power The Possible Roles of TSOs in Monitoring for Market Power Issues in Congested Transmission Systems," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0504, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  14. Knittel, Christopher & Kim, Dae-Wook, 2005. "Biases in Static Oligopoly Models? Evidence from the California Electricity Market," Working Papers 05-26, University of California at Davis, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  15. Niamh McCarthy, 2005. "Market Size, Market Structure & Market Power in the Irish Electricity Industry," Papers WP168, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). [Downloadable!]
Statistics
Access and download statistics

Did you know? There are over 21000 authors registered on RePEc Author Service.

This page was last updated on 2009-11-25.

This information is provided to you by IDEAS at the Department of Economics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Connecticut using RePEc data on a server sponsored by the Society for Economic Dynamics.