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The Estimation of an Average Cost Frontier to Calculate Benchmark Tariffs for Electricity Distribution

Author

Listed:
  • Massimo Filippini

    (Centre for Energy Policy and Economics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich)

  • Joerg Wild

    (Socioeconomic Institute, University of Zurich)

Abstract

In this paper we have examined the scale and cost inefficiency of a sample of Swiss electricity distribution utilities. To do so, we have considered estimation of a stochastic frontier average cost model using the approach suggested by Schmidt and Sickles (1984) for panel data. A translog cost function was estimated using panel data for a sample of 30 municipal utilities over the period 1992-1996. The results indicate the existence of economies of output and customer density and economies of scale. Moreover, the findings on cost inefficiency show that a majority of the distribution utilities is not producing at the minimum level of the cost and that a possible application of the frontier methodology employed in this paper relates to the regulation and benchmarking of the delivery rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Massimo Filippini & Joerg Wild, 1998. "The Estimation of an Average Cost Frontier to Calculate Benchmark Tariffs for Electricity Distribution," SOI - Working Papers 9803, Socioeconomic Institute - University of Zurich.
    • Handle: RePEc:soz:wpaper:9803
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    File URL: https://www.econ.uzh.ch/apps/workingpapers/wp/wp9803.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Massimo Filippini, 1998. "Are Municipal Electricity Distribution Utilities Natural Monopolies?," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 69(2), pages 157-174, June.
    2. Randy A. Nelson. & Walter J. Primeaux, Jr., 1988. "The Effects of Competition on Transmission and Distribution Costs in the Municipal Electric Industry," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 64(4), pages 338-346.
    3. Filippini, Massimo & Maggi, Rico, 1993. "Efficiency and Regulation in the Case of the Swiss Private Railways," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 199-216, June.
    4. Simar, L., 1991. "Estimating efficiencies from frontier models with panel data: a comparison of parametric, non-parametric and semi-parametric methods with boot strapping," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 1991026, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    5. Leland Gerson Neuberg, 1977. "Two Issues in the Municipal Ownership of Electric Power Distribution," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 8(1), pages 303-323, Spring.
    6. Schmidt, Peter & Sickles, Robin C, 1984. "Production Frontiers and Panel Data," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 2(4), pages 367-374, October.
    7. Burns, Philip & Weyman-Jones, Thomas G, 1996. "Cost Functions and Cost Efficiency in Electricity Distribution: A Stochastic Frontier Approach," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1), pages 41-64, January.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Dominik Schober, 2013. "Refinancing under Yardstick Regulation with Investment Cycles–The Case of Long-Lived Electricity Network Assets," EWL Working Papers 1321, University of Duisburg-Essen, Chair for Management Science and Energy Economics, revised Jun 2013.
    2. Schober, Dominik & Weber, Christoph, 2015. "Refinancing under yardstick regulation with investment cycles: The case of long-lived electricity network assets," ZEW Discussion Papers 15-065, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    3. Jamasb, T. & Nillesen, P. & Pollitt, M., 2003. "Strategic Behaviour under Regulation Benchmarking," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0312, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    4. Jamasb, Tooraj & Nillesen, Paul & Pollitt, Michael, 2004. "Strategic behaviour under regulatory benchmarking," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(5), pages 825-843, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    electricity; cost frontier; benchmarking; Switzerland;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices

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