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Comment on "Development Effects of Electrification: Evidence from the Topographic Placement of Hydropower Plants in Brazil"

Author

Listed:
  • Ankel-Peters, Jörg
  • Bensch, Gunther
  • Vance, Colin

Abstract

Lipscomb, Mobarak, and Barham (2013) document large positive effects of electrification in Brazil due to broad-based improvements in labor productivity. They instrument electrification by simulating a hypothetical power grid roll-out driven solely by geographic factors. Their estimates are not robust to repeated runs of the simulation, which in most cases lead to weak instruments. Furthermore, removing coding errors turns the main outcomes and most originally identified mechanisms statistically insignificant in most of the repeated runs, even when using a specification proposed in a corrigendum published by the original authors.

Suggested Citation

  • Ankel-Peters, Jörg & Bensch, Gunther & Vance, Colin, 2026. "Comment on "Development Effects of Electrification: Evidence from the Topographic Placement of Hydropower Plants in Brazil"," I4R Discussion Paper Series 294, The Institute for Replication (I4R).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:i4rdps:294
    Note: Forthcoming in the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics.
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C26 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • C52 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Evaluation, Validation, and Selection
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure

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