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Comparing auction designs where suppliers have uncertain costs and uncertain pivotal status

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  • Pär Holmberg
  • Frank A. Wolak

Abstract

We analyze how market design influences bidding in multiunit procurement auctions where suppliers have asymmetric information about production costs. Our analysis is particularly relevant to wholesale electricity markets, because it accounts for the risk that a supplier is pivotal; market demand is larger than the total production capacity of its competitors. With constant marginal costs, expected welfare improves if the auctioneer restricts offers to be flat. We identify circumstances where the competitiveness of market outcomes improves with increased market transparency. We also find that, for buyers, uniform pricing is preferable to discriminatory pricing when producers' private signals are affiliated.

Suggested Citation

  • Pär Holmberg & Frank A. Wolak, 2018. "Comparing auction designs where suppliers have uncertain costs and uncertain pivotal status," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 49(4), pages 995-1027, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:randje:v:49:y:2018:i:4:p:995-1027
    DOI: 10.1111/1756-2171.12259
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    Cited by:

    1. David P. Brown & Andrew Eckert, 2022. "Pricing Patterns in Wholesale Electricity Markets: Unilateral Market Power or Coordinated Behavior?," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 70(1), pages 168-216, March.
    2. Horn, Henrik & Tangerås, Thomas, 2021. "National Transmission System Operators in an International Electricity Market," CEPR Discussion Papers 16289, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Edward Anderson & Pär Holmberg, 2023. "Multi-unit auctions with uncertain supply and single-unit demand," Working Papers EPRG2310, Energy Policy Research Group, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
    4. Pio Baake & Sebastian Schwenen & Christian von Hirschhausen, 2020. "Local Power Markets," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1904, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    5. Natalia Fabra & Gerard Llobet, 2023. "Auctions with Privately Known Capacities: Understanding Competition Among Renewables," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(651), pages 1106-1146.
    6. Brown, David P. & Cajueiro, Daniel O. & Eckert, Andrew & Silveira, Douglas, 2023. "Information and Transparency: Using Machine Learning to Detect Communication," Working Papers 2023-6, University of Alberta, Department of Economics.
    7. Bayona, Anna & Brandts, Jordi & Vives, Xavier, 2020. "Information frictions and market power: A laboratory study," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 354-369.
    8. Brown, David P. & Cajueiro, Daniel O. & Eckert, Andrew & Silveira, Douglas, 2024. "Evaluating the Role of Information Disclosure on Bidding Behavior in Wholesale Electricity Markets," Working Papers 2024-2, University of Alberta, Department of Economics.
    9. Pär Holmberg & Thomas Tangerås, 2021. "Strategic Reserves versus Market-wide Capacity Mechanisms," Working Papers EPRG2109, Energy Policy Research Group, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
    10. Khezr, Peyman & Nepal, Rabindra, 2021. "On the viability of energy-capacity markets under decreasing marginal costs," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    11. Shiying Chen & Zhenhuan Dong & Chunming Cao & Changjun Zheng, 2022. "Strategy and design of multi‐unit auction in grouped asymmetric setting," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(8), pages 3435-3453, December.
    12. Ambrosius, M. & Egerer, J. & Grimm, V. & Weijde, A.H. van der, 2020. "Uncertain bidding zone configurations: The role of expectations for transmission and generation capacity expansion," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 285(1), pages 343-359.
    13. Sirin, Selahattin Murat & Erten, Ibrahim, 2022. "Price spikes, temporary price caps, and welfare effects of regulatory interventions on wholesale electricity markets," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    14. Brown, David P. & Eckert, Andrew & Silveira, Douglas, 2023. "Screening for collusion in wholesale electricity markets: A literature review," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).

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