IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/enejou/v26y2005i3p75-92.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Econometric Benchmarking of Cost Performance: The Case of U.S. Power Distributors

Author

Listed:
  • Mark Newton Lowry
  • Lullit Getachew
  • David Hovde

Abstract

Benchmarking of cost efficiency has growing use in energy utility regulation. The state of the art has been limited in many countries by the small size of available national data sets and poor data on capital cost. Data available in the United States place fewer constraints on benchmarking methods. This paper develops an econometric cost benchmarking model for power distribution that is based on U.S. data. The model can address total cost and its major components. Numerous cost drivers are identified. Statistical tests of efficiency hypotheses are performed. The cost performances of utilities are compared to the industry norm. The suitability of the alternative frontier standard in regulatory applications is discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark Newton Lowry & Lullit Getachew & David Hovde, 2005. "Econometric Benchmarking of Cost Performance: The Case of U.S. Power Distributors," The Energy Journal, , vol. 26(3), pages 75-92, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:enejou:v:26:y:2005:i:3:p:75-92
    DOI: 10.5547/ISSN0195-6574-EJ-Vol26-No3-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.5547/ISSN0195-6574-EJ-Vol26-No3-4
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.5547/ISSN0195-6574-EJ-Vol26-No3-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. L. Dean Hiebert, 2002. "The Determinants of the Cost Efficiency of Electric Generating Plants: A Stochastic Frontier Approach," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 68(4), pages 935-946, April.
    2. Meeusen, Wim & van den Broeck, Julien, 1977. "Efficiency Estimation from Cobb-Douglas Production Functions with Composed Error," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 18(2), pages 435-444, June.
    3. Gagne, Robert & Ouellette, Pierre, 1998. "On the Choice of Functional Forms: Summary of a Monte Carlo Experiment," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 16(1), pages 118-124, January.
    4. Dhrymes, Phoebus J, 1971. "Equivalence of Iterative Aitken and Maximum Likelihood Estimators for a System of Regression Equations," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(16), pages 20-24, June.
    5. Toru Hattori, 2002. "Relative Performance of U.S. and Japanese Electricity Distribution: An Application of Stochastic Frontier Analysis," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 269-284, November.
    6. L. Dean Hiebert, 2002. "The Determinants of the Cost Efficiency of Electric Generating Plants: A Stochastic Frontier Approach," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 68(4), pages 935-946, April.
    7. 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.
    8. L. Dean Hiebert, 2002. "The Determinants of the Cost Efficiency of Electric Generating Plants: A Stochastic Frontier Approach," Southern Economic Journal, Southern Economic Association, vol. 68(4), pages 935-946, April.
    9. 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.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Martín Rodríguez Pardina & Martín Rossi & Christian Ruzzier, 1999. "Fronteras de eficiencia en el sector de distribución de energía eléctrica: la experiencia sudamericana," UADE Textos de Discusión 15_1999, Instituto de Economía, Universidad Argentina de la Empresa.
    2. Ajayi, Victor & Weyman-Jones, Thomas & Glass, Anthony, 2017. "Cost efficiency and electricity market structure: A case study of OECD countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 283-291.
    3. Liu, Xiao-Yan & Pollitt, Michael G. & Xie, Bai-Chen & Liu, Li-Qiu, 2019. "Does environmental heterogeneity affect the productive efficiency of grid utilities in China?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 333-344.
    4. Ligia Melo & Néstor Espinosa, 2005. "Ineficiencia en la distribución de energía eléctrica: una aplicación de las funciones de distancia estocástica," Revista ESPE - Ensayos sobre Política Económica, Banco de la Republica de Colombia, vol. 23(49), pages 88-132, December.
    5. Li, Ming-Jia & Tao, Wen-Quan, 2017. "Review of methodologies and polices for evaluation of energy efficiency in high energy-consuming industry," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 203-215.
    6. repec:wbk:wbrwps:10262 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Deng, Na-Qian & Liu, Li-Qiu & Deng, Ying-Zhi, 2018. "Estimating the effects of restructuring on the technical and service-quality efficiency of electricity companies in China," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 91-100.
    8. Darío Ezequiel Díaz, 2013. "La Distribución Eléctrica en Argentina y su Eficiencia Técnica:Una Aplicación del Análisis de Fronteras Estocásticas (SFA) Utilizando Funciones Distancia," Revista de Economía y Estadística, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Instituto de Economía y Finanzas, vol. 51(1), pages 85-118, Diciembre.
    9. Yeinni Andrea Patino Moya & Gustavo Adolfo G�mez Fl�rez & Emma Osorio Medina, 2010. "Evaluación del desempeno del sector de distribución de electricidad en Colombia: una aplicación del análisis de frontera estocástica," Revista ESPE - Ensayos Sobre Política Económica, Banco de la República, vol. 28(62), pages 70-123.
    10. Olawale Ogunrinde & Ekundayo Shittu, 2023. "Benchmarking performance of photovoltaic power plants in multiple periods," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 489-503, September.
    11. Martín Rodríguez Pardina & Martín Rossi, 1999. "Medidas de eficiencia y regulación: una ilustración del sector de distribuidoras de gas en la Argentina," UADE Textos de Discusión 14_1999, Instituto de Economía, Universidad Argentina de la Empresa.
    12. Klaus Gugler & Mario Liebensteiner, 2016. "Productivity Growth and the General X-factor in Austria’s Gas Distribution," Department of Economics Working Papers wuwp236, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Department of Economics.
    13. Martín Rossi, 2015. "Using Labor Productivity Change Estimates as an Input for X-Factors in Price-Cap Regulation," Working Papers 118, Universidad de San Andres, Departamento de Economia, revised Feb 2015.
    14. Fusco, Elisa & Allegrini, Veronica, 2020. "The role of spatial interdependence in local government cost efficiency: An application to waste Italian sector," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    15. Gian Carlo Scarsi, 1999. "Local Electricity Distribution in Italy: Comparative Efficiency Analysis and Methodological Cross-Checking," Working Papers 1999.16, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    16. Barros, Carlos Pestana & Chen, Zhongfei & Managi, Shunsuke & Antunes, Olinda Sequeira, 2013. "Examining the cost efficiency of Chinese hydroelectric companies using a finite mixture model," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 511-517.
    17. Oriana Caldera & Giuseppe Folloni, 2001. "Size, density and costs of network services - the case of the distribution of electricity in Italy," ERSA conference papers ersa01p211, European Regional Science Association.
    18. Toru Hattori & Tooraj Jamasb & Michael Pollitt, 2005. "Electricity Distribution in the UK and Japan: A Comparative Efficiency Analysis 1985-1998," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 2), pages 23-48.
    19. Yu, Chin-Hsien & Zhao, Jinsong & Qin, Ping & Wang, Shinn-Shyr & Lee, Wen-Chieh, 2022. "Comparison of misallocation between the Chinese thermal power and hydropower electricity industries," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    20. Dimitri Dimitropoulos and Adonis Yatchew, 2017. "Is Productivity Growth in Electricity Distribution Negative? An Empirical Analysis Using Ontario Data," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 2).
    21. Toru Hattori, 2002. "Relative Performance of U.S. and Japanese Electricity Distribution: An Application of Stochastic Frontier Analysis," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 269-284, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:enejou:v:26:y:2005:i:3:p:75-92. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.