In a 'smart' electricity distribution network, flexible distribution resources (FDRs) can be coordinated to improve efficiency. But coordination enables whoever controls such resources to exercise market power. The paper establishes the following efficiency rankings of market structures:...

Non-discriminatory third-party access to transportation infrastructures in electricity - transmission and distribution networks - is essential for open and effective competition in wholesale and retail electricity markets. Competition in wholesale energy markets is possible and desirable as it...

What is a good balance between competition and coordination in network industries? Network unbundling aims to promote competition, but this has to be balanced against the downside of unbundling: firm-internal coordination falls away and must be replaced by external market mechanisms. This is a...

Uncertainty about renewable production increases the importance of sequential short-term trading. We consider a two-stage market where conventional and renewable producers compete in order to satisfy the demand of consumers. The trading in the first stage takes place under uncertainty about...

Investments in power generation assets are risky due to high construction costs and long asset lifetimes. Technology diversification in generation portfolios represents one option to reduce long-term investment risks for risk-averse decision makers. In this article, we analyze the impact of...

The introduction of retail competition in various states in United States was expected to lower electricity bills, expand the choice set of consumers, and encourage horizontal differentiation by providing value-added services. However, to date, most regulators in states with retail choice often...

Liberalized electricity markets are characterized by fluctuating priceinelastic demand of non-storable electricity, often defined by a substantial market share held by one or few incumbent firms. These characteristics have led to a controversial discussion concerning the need for and the design...

Allegations of market power in wholesale electricity sales are typically tested using price-cost margins. Such tests are inherently suspect in markets, such as electricity, subject to capacity constraints. In such markets, prices can vary with demand while quantity and thus cost measures remain...