Cost Considerations For Efficient Electricity Supply

Originally published in 1968, this book was one of the first full-scale published studies of the principles of investment planning and of the structure of marginal costs in a public enterprise. The concepts involved were more developed and applied in the world's electricity industries than elsewhere, and this book will be of interest to both engineers and administrators who are concerned with electricity supply, by setting out the characteristics of investment planning in this sector and the implications for cost analysis.

Poor performance of the electricity sector remains a drag to economic efficiency and a bottleneck to economic activity in many low-income countries. This paper proposes a number of models that account for different equilibria (some better, some worse) of the electricity sector. They show how policy choices (affecting insolvency prospects or related to rules for electricity dispatching or tariff setting), stochastic generation costs, and initial conditions, affect investment in generation and electricity supply. They also show how credible (non-credible) promises of stronger enforcement to reduce theft result in larger (smaller) electricity supply, lower (higher) government subsidies, and lower (higher) tariffs and distribution losses, which in turn affect economic activity. To illustrate these findings, the paper reviews the experience of Haiti, a country stuck in a bad equilibrium of insufficient supply, high prices, and electricity theft; and that of Nicaragua, which is gradually transitioning to a better equilibrium of the electricity sector.

This booklet considers the impact of electricity market reform on power generation costs and investment. Governments throughout the OECD are restructuring their electricity supply industries, reducing the direct role of the state and introducing competition. These changes are designed to increase the economic efficiency of electricity supply and to lower prices for consumers. Maintaining adequate investment in new generation capacity is another important objective. The study concludes that market reform is likely to lead to reduced generation costs. Reformed systems should also preserve system reliability and adequacy of investment.

RCED-95-187 Electricity Supply: Consideration of Environmental Costs in Selecting Fuel Sources

A "quick look up guide," Electricity Cost Modeling Calculations places the relevant formulae and calculations at the reader's finger tips. In this book, theories are explained in a nutshell and then the calculation is presented and solved in an illustrated, step-by-step fashion. A valuable guide for new engineers, economists (or forecasters), regulators, and policy makers who want to further develop their knowledge of best practice calculations techniques or experienced practitioners (and even managers) who desire to acquire more useful tips, this book offers expert advice for using such cost models to determine optimally-sized distribution systems and optimally-structured power supplying entities. In other words, this book provides an Everything-that-you-want-to-know-about-cost-modelling-for-electric-utilities (but were afraid to ask) approach to modelling the cost of supplying electricity. In addition, the author covers the concept of multiproduct and multistage cost functions, which are appropriate in modelling the cost of supplying electricity. The author has done all the heavy number-crunching, and provides the reader with real-world, practical examples of how to properly quantify the costs associated with providing electric service, thus increasing the accuracy of the results and support for the policy initiatives required to ensure the competitiveness of the power suppliers in this new world in which we are living. The principles contained herein could be employed to assist in the determination of the cost-minimizing amount of output (i.e., electricity), which could then be used to determine whether a merger between two entities makes sense (i.e., would increase profitability). Other examples abound: public regulatory commissions also need help in determining whether mergers (or divestitures) are welfare-enhancing or not; ratemaking policies depend on costs and properly determining the costs of supplying electric (or gas, water, and local telephone) service. Policy makers, too, can benefit in terms of optimal market structure; after all, the premise of deregulation of the electric industry was predicated on the idea that generation could be deregulated. Unfortunately, the economies of vertical integration between the generation. A comprehensive guide to the cost issues surrounding the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity Real-world examples that are practical, meaningful, and easy to understand Policy implications and suggestions to aid in the formation of the optimal market structure going forward (thus increasing efficiency of electric power suppliers) The principles contained herein could be employed to assist in the determination of the cost-minimizing amount of output

Packed with case studies and practical real-world examples, Electricity Marginal Cost Pricing Principles allows regulators, engineers and energy economists to choose the pricing model that best fits their individual market. Written by an author with 13 years of practical experience, the book begins with a clear and rigorous explanation of the theory of efficient pricing and how it impacts investor-owned, publicly-owned, and cooperatively-owned utilities using tried and true methods such as multiple-output, functional form, and multiproduct cost models. The author then moves on to include self-contained chapters on applying estimating cost models, including a cubic cost specification and policy implications while supplying actual data and examples to allow regulators, energy economists, and engineers to get a feel for the methods with which efficient prices are derived in today’s challenging electricity market. A guide to cost issues surrounding the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity Clearly explains cost models which can yield the marginal cost of supplying electricity to end-users Real-world examples that are practical, meaningful, and easy to understand Explans the policy implications of each example Provide suggestions to aid in the formation of the optimal market price