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Electricity Restructuring: What Has Worked, What Has Not, and What is Next

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  • Jeff Lien

    (Economic Analysis Group, Antitrust Division, Department of Justice)

Abstract

In the 1990s and early 2000s, a series of state and federal initiatives restructured electric markets. In many areas of the country generation was unbundled from transmission and distribution and competitive markets for energy generation were established. A decade has now passed since many of these market reforms were implemented, and increasing energy prices have re-focused attention on these reforms. In particular, commentators are blaming the reforms for the rising energy prices and, in several states, legislators are now considering re-imposing regulation. In this paper I discuss some successful features of industry restructuring, and consider areas where further reform may be warranted. It appears that market restructuring is now producing significant tangible benefits in the areas of the country where it has been most fully implemented. Calls for the reimposition of heavyhanded regulation should be resisted.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeff Lien, 2008. "Electricity Restructuring: What Has Worked, What Has Not, and What is Next," EAG Discussions Papers 200804, Department of Justice, Antitrust Division.
    • Handle: RePEc:doj:eagpap:200804
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    File URL: https://www.justice.gov/atr/public/eag/232692.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Apt, Jay, 2005. "Competition Has Not Lowered U.S. Industrial Electricity Prices," The Electricity Journal, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 52-61, March.
    2. Joskow, Paul L., 2005. "Transmission policy in the United States," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 95-115, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Krishnan C, Muralee & Gupta, Santanu, 2018. "Political pricing of electricity – Can it go with universal service provision?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 373-381.
    2. Russell Pittman & Vanessa Yanhua Zhang, 2008. "Electricity Restructuring in China: The Elusive Quest for Competition," EAG Discussions Papers 200805, Department of Justice, Antitrust Division.
    3. Bejarano Hernan D. & Clifner Lance & Johnston Carl & Rassenti Stephen & Smith Vernon L., 2012. "Resource Adequacy: Should Regulators Worry?," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 11(4), pages 1-35, December.
    4. Mark A. Jamison, 2011. "Liberalization and Regulation of Telecoms, Electricity, and Gas in the United States," Chapters, in: Matthias Finger & Rolf W. Künneke (ed.), International Handbook of Network Industries, chapter 21, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Hyman, Leonard S., 2010. "Restructuring electricity policy and financial models," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 751-757, July.
    6. Ken Heyer & Nicholas Hill, 2008. "The Year in Review: Economics at the Antitrust Division, 2007–2008," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 33(3), pages 247-262, November.
    7. Bowen, William M. & Hill, Edward (Ned) & Thomas, Andrew & Liu, Ruoran & Henning, Mark, 2023. "Consumer price effects of deregulated electric generation markets: The case of Ohio and the midwestern United States," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation

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