Electricity Networks Privatization in Australia: An Overview of the Debate

Rabindra Nepal and John Foster ()

No 541, Discussion Papers Series from University of Queensland, School of Economics

Abstract: The debate on electricity networks privatization in the Australian National Electricity Market is an important public policy concern but remains unsettled. This article reviews and compares the economic performance between the privately and state-owned electricity networks in Australia across three dimensions encompassing prices, quality and investment. The comparative analysis suggests that privately owned networks are not worse off than the state-owned networks in terms of performance. However, international empirical evidences indicate that the efficiency gains to consumers from electricity networks privatization will depend on the underlying regulatory regime and regulatory institutional framework. The long-term concerns on future investments, security of supply, climate change and economic regulation of networks will continue to prevail once the short-term efficiency gains from privatization are exhausted. These concerns imply that the role of the state will still be significant, although transformed, even after electricity networks privatization raising questions on the motives of privatization.

Date: 2015-04-14
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ene, nep-net and nep-reg
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Journal Article: Electricity networks privatization in Australia: An overview of the debate (2015)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:qld:uq2004:541

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