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Modeling the Electricity Sector: A Summary of Recent Analyses of New EPA Regulations

Author

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  • Beasley, Blair

    (Resources for the Future)

  • Morris, Daniel

    (Resources for the Future)

Abstract

Several different economic models have been applied to try to understand how new regulations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could impact coal-fired generation in the United States as well as the electricity system as a whole. This paper provides an overview of many of the key studies and the models used to analyze the potential impacts of EPA’s rules. The regulations surveyed include the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR), the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), the proposed Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 316(b) rule, and the proposed Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) rule. The models generally agree that these regulations will result in coal plant retirements, though there is far less agreement on how much generation may retire. Assumptions about the price of natural gas and the expected stringency of regulations play a key role in determining modeling results. The models provide useful guidance for policymakers when considering the potential impact of EPA regulation.

Suggested Citation

  • Beasley, Blair & Morris, Daniel, 2012. "Modeling the Electricity Sector: A Summary of Recent Analyses of New EPA Regulations," RFF Working Paper Series dp-12-52, Resources for the Future.
    • Handle: RePEc:rff:dpaper:dp-12-52
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    File URL: http://www.rff.org/RFF/documents/RFF-DP-12-52.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Burtraw, Dallas & Palmer, Karen & Paul, Anthony & Beasley, Blair & Woerman, Matt, 2013. "Reliability in the U.S. electricity industry under new environmental regulations," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1078-1091.
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    Cited by:

    1. Beasley, Blair & Woerman, Matt & Paul, Anthony & Burtraw, Dallas & Palmer, Karen, 2013. "Mercury and Air Toxics Standards Analysis Deconstructed: Changing Assumptions, Changing Results," RFF Working Paper Series dp-13-10, Resources for the Future.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Clean Air Act; electricity; EPA regulation; modeling; power plant retirement;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C69 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Other
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • Q47 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy Forecasting
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • Q52 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Pollution Control Adoption and Costs; Distributional Effects; Employment Effects

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