This paper assesses Brazil’s regulatory framework and agencies for several network industries (electricity, oil and gas, and water and sanitation). Private investment can be encouraged by tackling regulatory uncertainty in many areas. To this end, recent initiatives include a new regulatory...

The efficiency properties of price and non-price instruments for conservation in environmental policy are well understood. Yet, there is little evidence comparing the effectiveness of these instruments, especially when considering water resource management. We exploit a rich panel of residential...

La problemática de la escasez de agua potable en la provincia de Córdoba, como consecuencia de una serie de factores tales como escenario hidrológico severo-seco; contaminación de los embalses; consumo desmedido y régimen tarifario irracional que promueve al consumo desmedido del recurso,...

In this paper, we analyze the strategic function of gas storage focusing on how gas storage decisions impact competition between gas companies on both spot and downstream markets. Using a two-tier oligopolistic structure, we first show that gas storage is actually used strategically even in a...

In this paper we estimate a cost function for the English water only sector in order to improve the knowledge of the technological structure of the industry. The analysis of the existence and extent of cost economies might provide useful insights for the regulator and policymakers in terms of...

This paper describes and analyses recent reforms in the natural gas market in Brazil aimed at fostering a more open, competitive, efficient, and flexible gas sector. This paper reviews the changes in the regulatory framework using two lenses: the reform process seen through a regulatory policy...

In this study we analyze the evolution of operating cost efficiency for the English and Welsh water industry over the period 1995-2001 by estimating an heteroskedastic stochastic variable cost frontier. Aim of the paper is to analyze cost efficiency over a period characterized by significant...

Rather than allowing water prices to reflect scarcity rents during periods of drought-induced excess demand, policy makers have mandated command-and-control approaches, like the curtailment of certain uses, primarily outdoor watering. Using unique panel data on residential end-uses of water, we...

This paper studies the impact of legal unbundling vs ownership unbundling on the incentives of a network operator to invest and maintain its assets. We consider an industry where the upstream firm first chooses the size of a network, while several downstream firms then compete in selling goods...

This paper assesses Brazil’s regulatory framework and agencies for several network industries (electricity, oil and gas, and water and sanitation). Private investment can be encouraged by tackling regulatory uncertainty in many areas. To this end, recent initiatives include a new regulatory...