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Regulation of Privatized Utilities: The Chilean Experience

Author

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  • Eduardo Bitrán
  • Pablo Serra

Abstract

The privatization of Chile's public utilities has led to substantial new investment and improvements in internal efficiency. However, the limited information available to regulators, combined with their insufficient technical capacity, have combined to prevent efficiency increases being fully passed on to consumers in price reductions. In fact, drastic price cuts have occurred only where competition has emerged, so achieving competition wherever possible should be the main policy goal. Competition can be enhanced by either modifying existing regulations, as happened in long-distance telecommunications, or by a more active anti-trust policy. To achieve this, the regulatory institutions clearly need strengthening.

Suggested Citation

  • Eduardo Bitrán & Pablo Serra, 1998. "Regulation of Privatized Utilities: The Chilean Experience," Documentos de Trabajo 32, Centro de Economía Aplicada, Universidad de Chile.
    • Handle: RePEc:edj:ceauch:32
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    Cited by:

    1. Saeed Zaki & A.T.M. Nurul Amin, 2009. "Does Basic Services Privatisation Benefit the Urban Poor? Some Evidence from Water Supply Privatisation in Thailand," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 46(11), pages 2301-2327, October.
    2. Manger, Mark, 2008. "International Investment Agreements and Services Markets: Locking in Market Failure?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(11), pages 2456-2469, November.
    3. Murillo, Maria Victoria & Foulon, Carmen Le, 2006. "Crisis and policymaking in Latin America: The case of Chile's 1998-99 electricity crisis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(9), pages 1580-1596, September.
    4. Nasirov, Shahriyar & Agostini, Claudio A. & Silva, Carlos & Gutierrez-Lagos, Luis, 2025. "Analysis of rural electrification policy formulation in Chile: Key policy challenges for developing rural electrification based on off-grid systems," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    5. M. Pollitt, 2004. "Electricity reform in Chile. Lessons for developing countries," Competition and Regulation in Network Industries, Intersentia, vol. 5(3), pages 221-263, September.
    6. Post, Alison E. & Murillo, María Victoria, 2016. "How Investor Portfolios Shape Regulatory Outcomes: Privatized Infrastructure After Crises," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 328-345.
    7. Cunial, Santiago, 2024. "Policy legacies and energy transitions: Greening policies under sectoral reforms in Argentina and Chile," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    8. Cecilia Martinez‐Gallardo & Maria Victoria Murillo, 2011. "Agency under constraint: Ideological preferences and the politics of electricity regulation in Latin America," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 5(3), pages 350-367, September.
    9. Gutierrez, Luis H., 2003. "Regulatory governance in the Latin American telecommunications sector," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 225-240, December.
    10. Vinnari, Eija M., 2006. "The economic regulation of publicly owned water utilities: The case of Finland," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 158-165, September.
    11. Zhang, Yinfang & Parker, David & Kirkpatrick, Colin, 2005. "Competition, regulation and privatisation of electricity generation in developing countries: does the sequencing of the reforms matter?," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(2-3), pages 358-379, May.

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