Market Power in the New Zealand electricity wholesale market 2010–2016

Stephen Poletti

Energy Economics, 2021, vol. 94, issue C

Abstract: Using a computer agent based model I compute market power rents in the New Zealand electricity market over the period 2010–2016 and find that these are substantial. Over the 7-year period of the study, total simulated market revenue is $15.2 billion and simulated competitive revenue, using estimated water values and other variable costs, is $9.5 billion. The difference, attributed to market rents, is $5.6 billion, which is 37% of revenue. If I calculate market rents using actual prices (rather than simulated), using my competitive benchmark I find that over the 7-year period total market rents are 6.0 billion, or 39% of revenue – about 10% higher than the results using simulated prices, reflecting slightly higher actual prices. There is some evidence that market power rents have increased since 2013 following partial privatisation of a number of firms. Furthermore there is no evidence of increased market power in dry years.

Keywords: Electricity; Market power; Computer agent; New Zealand (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:94:y:2021:i:c:s0140988320304187

DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2020.105078

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