Good Regulatory Regimes

Assuming simple functional forms, numerical methods are used to analyze linear regulatory rules that include cost-plus and price-cap regimes. Regulators are assumed to observe actual cost, but not the disutility of cost reduction, and are assumed unable to impose taxes or make transfers. Best linear regimes depend importantly on the level and form of uncertainty, the regulatory objective function, and the firm profitability constraint. Under uncertainty, regimes in which price depends in part on actual cost generally substantially outperform pure price caps, particularly in terms of consumers' surplus.