The authors provide an overview of recent privatization experiences in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. They focus on both achievements and outstanding problems in the electricity sector. They pay special attention to the issue of whether regulators can enforce compliance and sustain the spirit of...

Brazil's electricity sector is made up of more than sixty-five, mostly vertically integrated, federally- and state-owned monopolies. The most pressing problems in the sector are excessive operational costs and large investment needs. Both of these problems can be addressed through more...

In the early 1990s, Argentina vertically separated and privatized most of its electricity industry. Transmission and distribution, considered natural monopolies, were sold by concession. The main objectives of the reforms were efficient pricing and production levels in the short term and enough...