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Competition in Retail Electricity Supply

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  • Stephen C. Littlechild

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis and defence of competition in retail electricity supply. It includes some account of its development in the UK over the last dozen years, to the point where all retail price controls have now been removed. The development of this competition illustrates a number of the themes in Israel Kirzner’s writing - for example, the nature of competition as a process over time, the entrepreneurial and learning nature of this process, the role of marketing in alerting customers, the role of competition in establishing price and in discovering the services and suppliers that customers prefer, and the advantages of competition over regulation.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen C. Littlechild, 2002. "Competition in Retail Electricity Supply," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0227, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    • Handle: RePEc:cam:camdae:0227
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fortin, Pierre & Keil, Manfred & Symons, James, 2001. "The Sources of Unemployment in Canada, 1967-91: Evidence from a Panel of Regions and Demographic Groups," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 53(1), pages 67-93, January.
    2. Littlechild, Stephen C, 2003. "Wholesale Spot Price Pass-Through," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 61-91, January.
    3. Goulding, A. J. & Rufin, Carlos & Swinand, Gregory, 1999. "The Role of Vibrant Retail Electricity Markets in Assuring that Wholesale Power Markets Operate Effectively," The Electricity Journal, Elsevier, vol. 12(10), pages 61-73, December.
    4. Richard Green & Tanga McDaniel, 1998. "Competition in electricity supply: will ‘1998’ Be worth it?," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 19(3), pages 273-293, August.
    5. Paul L. Joskow, 2001. "California's Electricity Crisis," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 17(3), pages 365-388.
    6. Stephen C. Littlechild, 2001. "Competition And Regulation In The U.K. Electricity Industry (With A Brief Look At California)," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 13(4), pages 21-38, January.
    7. Littlechild, S.C., 2000. "Why We Need Electricity Retailers: A Reply to Joskow on Wholesale Spot Price pass-through," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0008, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    8. M.E. Beesley & S.C. Littlechild, 1989. "The Regulation of Privatized Monopolies in the United Kingdom," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 20(3), pages 454-472, Autumn.
    9. Demsetz, Harold, 1969. "Information and Efficiency: Another Viewpoint," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 12(1), pages 1-22, April.
    10. Watts, Price C., 2001. "Heresy? The Case Against Deregulation of Electricity Generation," The Electricity Journal, Elsevier, vol. 14(4), pages 19-24, May.
    11. SC Littlechild, 2001. "Ludwig Lachmann Memorial Lecture," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 69(4), pages 583-613, December.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Roques, F. & Newbery, D.M. & Nuttall, W.J., 2004. "Generation Adequacy and Investment Incentives in Britain: from the Pool to NETA," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0459, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    2. Nils-Henrik M. von der Fehr & Petter Vegard Hansen, 2010. "Electricity Retailing in Norway," The Energy Journal, , vol. 31(1), pages 25-46, January.
    3. Stagnaro, Carlo & Amenta, Carlo & Di Croce, Giulia & Lavecchia, Luciano, 2020. "Managing the liberalization of Italy's retail electricity market: A policy proposal☆," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    4. Stephen Littlechild, 2016. "Contrasting Developments in UK Energy Regulation: Retail Policy and Consumer Engagement," Economic Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(2), pages 118-132, June.
    5. repec:bla:opecrv:v:32:y:2008:i:2:p:150-183 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Sawkins, John W., 2012. "The introduction of competition into the Scottish Water industry," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 22-30.
    7. Dominique Finon, 2011. "Investment and Competition in Decentralized Electricity Markets: How to Overcome Market Failure by Market Imperfections?," Chapters, in: Jean-Michel Glachant & Dominique Finon & Adrien de Hauteclocque (ed.), Competition, Contracts and Electricity Markets, chapter 3, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    8. Littlechild, Stephen, 2006. "Competition and contracts in the Nordic residential electricity markets," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 135-147, September.
    9. Dormady, Noah & Roa-Henriquez, Alfredo & Hoyt, Matthew & Pesavento, Matthew & Koenig, Grace & Welch, William & Li, Zejun, 2025. "How are retail prices formed in restructured electricity markets?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    10. Esplin, Ryan & Davis, Ben & Rai, Alan & Nelson, Tim, 2020. "The impacts of price regulation on price dispersion in Australia's retail electricity markets," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    11. Littlechild, Stephen, 2006. "Residential energy contracts and the 28 day rule," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 44-62, March.
    12. Defeuilley, Christophe, 2009. "Retail competition in electricity markets," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 377-386, February.
    13. Palacios M., Sebastián & Saavedra P., Eduardo, 2017. "Alternative policies for the liberalization of retail electricity markets in Chile," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 72-92.
    14. repec:ipg:wpaper:2013-018 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Stephen Littlechild, 2019. "Promoting competition and protecting customers? Regulation of the GB retail energy market 2008–2016," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 107-139, April.
    16. Yuanjing Li, 2014. "Vertical Structure and Forward Contract in Electricity Market," Working Papers 2014-117, Department of Research, Ipag Business School.
    17. Özbuğday, Fatih Cemil & Öğünlü, Bilal & Alma, Hasan, 2016. "The sustainability of Turkish electricity distributors and last-resort electricity suppliers: What did transition from vertically integrated public monopoly to regulated competition with privatized an," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 50-67.
    18. Amenta, Carlo & Aronica, Martina & Stagnaro, Carlo, 2022. "Is more competition better? Retail electricity prices and switching rates in the European Union," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    19. Danias, Nikolaos & Kim Swales, John & McGregor, Peter, 2013. "The Greek Electricity Market Reforms: Political and Regulatory Considerations," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1040-1047.
    20. Galetovic, Alexander & Muñoz, Cristián M., 2011. "Regulated electricity retailing in Chile," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 6453-6465, October.
    21. Eitan, Avri, 2023. "How are public utilities responding to electricity market restructuring and the energy transition? Lessons from Israel," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    22. Yannick Perez, 2006. "La gestion de l'incertitude et de l'opportunisme dans les décisions publiques Les enseignements des réformes électriques concurrentielles," Post-Print hal-04297587, HAL.
    23. Boroumand, Raphaël Homayoun & Zachmann, Georg, 2012. "Retailers' risk management and vertical arrangements in electricity markets," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 465-472.

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    JEL classification:

    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • B53 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Austrian

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