<p>The purpose of this investigation is to further the current discussion of how the Swedish market for district heating can be made more competitive and effective. This is done by investigating how price, costs of production and profitability of district heating varies with ownership, a variable frequently held accountable for financial performance variations in natural monopoly markets. The investigation is based on financial and technical performance data from 203 firms from 2007 and 2008, compiled by the Swedish Energy Market Inspectorate. The results strongly indicate that private firms are more profitable than firms owned, fully or partly, by local government. Furthermore, the results find that higher profitability tends to be positively correlated with prices, rather than negatively with costs of production. The results speak in favor of private ownership under regulation, rather than the current mixture of public and unregulated private ownership.</p>

The purpose of this investigation is to further the current discussion of how the Swedish market for district heating can be made more competitive and effective. This is done by investigating how price, costs of production and profitability of district heating varies with ownership, a variable frequently held accountable for financial performance variations in natural monopoly markets. The investigation is based on financial and technical performance data from 203 firms from 2007 and 2008, compiled by the Swedish Energy Market Inspectorate. The results strongly indicate that private firms are more profitable than firms owned, fully or partly, by local government. Furthermore, the results find that higher profitability tends to be positively correlated with prices, rather than negatively with costs of production. The results speak in favor of private ownership under regulation, rather than the current mixture of public and unregulated private ownership.

Em 2016, cerca de 35 milhões de brasileiros ainda não contava com acesso à água tratada e 100 milhões não possuíam atendimento com rede de esgotamento sanitário. Posto que a melhoria do serviço público seja um imperativo, faz-se necessário o investimento de mais de R$ 20 bilhões de reais anualmente até 2033, valor utópico se considerarmos o cenário de restrição orçamentária dos entes federativos. Nesse contexto, a presença de entidades privadas no setor de saneamento básico vem sendo amplamente discutida como uma solução para esse obstáculo ao desenvolvimento nacional. Entretanto, existem barreiras institucionais para a atuação do setor privado que são justificadas por uma ideologia baseada em argumentos que não exploram a complexidade e a realidade atual do setor. A presente pesquisa propôs averiguar se o fato de a propriedade da companhia de saneamento ser pública ou privada impacta na qualidade da provisão dos serviços, na eficiência operacional e na conjuntura financeira das empresas. Isso de maneira a responder se o aumento da participação privada no setor deve ser barrado ou incentivado dentro de um arranjo institucional adequado. Embora o maniqueísmo que percebe o gestor privado como homo economicus e gestor público como supremamente interessado no bem-estar seja bastante disseminado, as análises deste trabalho não mostraram resultados de indicadores sociais consistentemente melhores para empresas públicas e nem que renunciam à eficiência operacional e financeira em prol da prosperidade social. Chega-se à conclusão de que o dilema público-privado não deve ser um empecilho para a execução de políticas. A presença do setor privado não é prejudicial ao consumidor, mas sim necessária em um cenário de crise econômica e com diversas barreiras à execução de obras. Desse modo, as diretrizes governamentais precisam trabalhar para fortalecer o ambiente institucional, não apenas através de suporte, mas também colaborando com a presença das empresas privadas no setor de saneamento básico. / In 2016, around 35 millions of Brazilians still didn\'t have access to clean water and more than 100 millions didn\'t receive sanitation services. For the universalization to be accomplished until 2033, as it is predicted in the National Plan (Plansab, 2014), more than R$ 20 billions must be invested every year, which is utopic if we consider the cenarium of budget restriction of the Union, States and Municipalities. In this context, the presence of private entities in the sanitation sector is more and more discussed as a solution for this obstacle to the national development. However, there are institutional barriers for their action, justified by an ideology based in assertions that do not explore the complexity and the current situation of the sector. This dissertation intends to ascertain if the fact of the propriety of the company is public or private affects the quality of the services, in a social, operational and financial analysis. It intends to answer if the increase of the private presence in the sector should be contained or incentivized, in a proper institutional arrangement.

Em 2016, cerca de 35 milhões de brasileiros ainda não contava com acesso à água tratada e 100 milhões não possuíam atendimento com rede de esgotamento sanitário. Posto que a melhoria do serviço público seja um imperativo, faz-se necessário o investimento de mais de R$ 20 bilhões de reais anualmente até 2033, valor utópico se considerarmos o cenário de restrição orçamentária dos entes federativos. Nesse contexto, a presença de entidades privadas no setor de saneamento básico vem sendo amplamente discutida como uma solução para esse obstáculo ao desenvolvimento nacional. Entretanto, existem barreiras institucionais para a atuação do setor privado que são justificadas por uma ideologia baseada em argumentos que não exploram a complexidade e a realidade atual do setor. A presente pesquisa propôs averiguar se o fato de a propriedade da companhia de saneamento ser pública ou privada impacta na qualidade da provisão dos serviços, na eficiência operacional e na conjuntura financeira das empresas. Isso de maneira a responder se o aumento da participação privada no setor deve ser barrado ou incentivado dentro de um arranjo institucional adequado. Embora o maniqueísmo que percebe o gestor privado como homo economicus e gestor público como supremamente interessado no bem-estar seja bastante disseminado, as análises deste trabalho não mostraram resultados de indicadores sociais consistentemente melhores para empresas públicas e nem que renunciam à eficiência operacional e financeira em prol da prosperidade social. Chega-se à conclusão de que o dilema público-privado não deve ser um empecilho para a execução de políticas. A presença do setor privado não é prejudicial ao consumidor, mas sim necessária em um cenário de crise econômica e com diversas barreiras à execução de obras. Desse modo, as diretrizes governamentais precisam trabalhar para fortalecer o ambiente institucional, não apenas através de suporte, mas também colaborando com a presença das empresas privadas no setor de saneamento básico. / In 2016, around 35 millions of Brazilians still didn\'t have access to clean water and more than 100 millions didn\'t receive sanitation services. For the universalization to be accomplished until 2033, as it is predicted in the National Plan (Plansab, 2014), more than R$ 20 billions must be invested every year, which is utopic if we consider the cenarium of budget restriction of the Union, States and Municipalities. In this context, the presence of private entities in the sanitation sector is more and more discussed as a solution for this obstacle to the national development. However, there are institutional barriers for their action, justified by an ideology based in assertions that do not explore the complexity and the current situation of the sector. This dissertation intends to ascertain if the fact of the propriety of the company is public or private affects the quality of the services, in a social, operational and financial analysis. It intends to answer if the increase of the private presence in the sector should be contained or incentivized, in a proper institutional arrangement.

A spinning reserve assessment technique for a deregulated system has been developed and presented in this thesis. The technique is based on direct search optimization approach. Computer programs have been developed to implement the optimization processes both for transmission loss and without transmission loss.<p> A system commits adequate generation to satisfy its load and export/import commitment. Additional generation known as spinning reserve is also required to satisfy unforeseen load changes or withstand sudden generation loss. In a vertically integrated system, a single entity generates, transmits and distributes electrical energy. As a part of its operational planning, the single entity decides the level of spinning reserve. The cost associated with generation, transmission, distribution including the spinning reserve is then passed on to the customers.<p> In a deregulated system, generation, transmission and distribution are three businesses. Generators compete with each other to sell their energy to the Independent System Operators (ISO). ISO coordinates the bids from the generation as well as the bids from the bulk customers. In order to ensure a reliable operation, ISO must also ensure that the system has adequate spinning reserve. ISO must buy spinning reserve from the spinning reserve market. A probabilistic method called the load forecast uncertainty (LFU)-based spinning reserve assessment (LSRA) is proposed to assess the spinning reserve requirements in a deregulated power system.<p> The LSRA is an energy cost- based approach that incorporates the load forecast uncertainty of the day-ahead market (DAM) and the energy prices within the system in the assessment process. The LSRA technique analyzes every load step of the 49-step LFU model and the probability that the hourly DAM load will be within that load step on the actual day. Economic and reliability decisions are made based on the analysis to determine and minimize the total energy cost for each hour subject to certain system constraints in order to assess the spinning reserve requirements. The direct search optimization approach is easily implemented in the determination of the optimal SR requirements since the objective function is a combination of linear and non-linear functions. This approach involves varying the amount of SR within the system from zero to the maximum available capacity. By varying the amount of SR within the system, the optimal SR for which the hourly total operating cost is minimum and all operating constraints are satisfied is evaluated.<p> One major advantage of the LSRA technique is the inclusion of all the major system variables like DAM hourly loads and energy prices and the utilization of the stochastic nature of the system components in its computation. The setback in this technique is the need to have access to historical load data and spot market energy prices during all seasons. The availability and reliability of these historical data has a huge effect on the LSRA technique to adequately assess the spinning reserve requirements in a deregulated system.<p> The technique, along with the effects of load forecast uncertainty, energy prices of spinning reserve and spot market and the reloading up and down limits of the generating zones on the spinning reserve requirements are illustrated in detail in this thesis work. The effects of the above stochastic components of the power system on the spinning reserve requirements are illustrated numerically by different graphs using a computer simulation of the technique incorporating test systems with and without transmission loss.

A spinning reserve assessment technique for a deregulated system has been developed and presented in this thesis. The technique is based on direct search optimization approach. Computer programs have been developed to implement the optimization processes both for transmission loss and without transmission loss.<p> A system commits adequate generation to satisfy its load and export/import commitment. Additional generation known as spinning reserve is also required to satisfy unforeseen load changes or withstand sudden generation loss. In a vertically integrated system, a single entity generates, transmits and distributes electrical energy. As a part of its operational planning, the single entity decides the level of spinning reserve. The cost associated with generation, transmission, distribution including the spinning reserve is then passed on to the customers.<p> In a deregulated system, generation, transmission and distribution are three businesses. Generators compete with each other to sell their energy to the Independent System Operators (ISO). ISO coordinates the bids from the generation as well as the bids from the bulk customers. In order to ensure a reliable operation, ISO must also ensure that the system has adequate spinning reserve. ISO must buy spinning reserve from the spinning reserve market. A probabilistic method called the load forecast uncertainty (LFU)-based spinning reserve assessment (LSRA) is proposed to assess the spinning reserve requirements in a deregulated power system.<p> The LSRA is an energy cost- based approach that incorporates the load forecast uncertainty of the day-ahead market (DAM) and the energy prices within the system in the assessment process. The LSRA technique analyzes every load step of the 49-step LFU model and the probability that the hourly DAM load will be within that load step on the actual day. Economic and reliability decisions are made based on the analysis to determine and minimize the total energy cost for each hour subject to certain system constraints in order to assess the spinning reserve requirements. The direct search optimization approach is easily implemented in the determination of the optimal SR requirements since the objective function is a combination of linear and non-linear functions. This approach involves varying the amount of SR within the system from zero to the maximum available capacity. By varying the amount of SR within the system, the optimal SR for which the hourly total operating cost is minimum and all operating constraints are satisfied is evaluated.<p> One major advantage of the LSRA technique is the inclusion of all the major system variables like DAM hourly loads and energy prices and the utilization of the stochastic nature of the system components in its computation. The setback in this technique is the need to have access to historical load data and spot market energy prices during all seasons. The availability and reliability of these historical data has a huge effect on the LSRA technique to adequately assess the spinning reserve requirements in a deregulated system.<p> The technique, along with the effects of load forecast uncertainty, energy prices of spinning reserve and spot market and the reloading up and down limits of the generating zones on the spinning reserve requirements are illustrated in detail in this thesis work. The effects of the above stochastic components of the power system on the spinning reserve requirements are illustrated numerically by different graphs using a computer simulation of the technique incorporating test systems with and without transmission loss.

El presente trabajo describe las principales características del mecanismo de regulación por precios tope, incluyendo su ubicación dentro de las posibilidades de acción regulatoria, las críticas que se han planteado al mismo, así como los mecanismos complementarios utilizados y los riesgos involucrados en su desarrollo.---This article describes the main characteristics of the price cap regime of price regulation, including its location among other regulatory possibilities, critics received, complementary mechanisms and risks involved in its development.

Natural economic orders are made and unmade. Industries such as telecommunications, rail transportation, and electricity distribution are prime examples. In the last two decades we have witnessed the widespread unmaking of these long established public natural monopolies. This study focuses its attention on the state-owned monopoly in Swedish telecommunications which became complete in 1918 and prevailed until the beginning of the 1980s. Given the present widely-held understanding that this was a natural monopoly eventually unmade by technological change, this study asks how this natural monopoly once emerged. The study concentrates on the creation and the technological and economic stabilisation of a national state-owned monopoly in telephony in Sweden during the period 1903 - 1930. At the centre is the termination of competition in telephony in Stockholm in 1918. The study is devoted to a detailed investigation into the various controversies whose eventual settlement led to the creation of the monopoly and the introduction of automatic exchanges, a central theme in the stabilisation of the monopoly. Focusing on techno-economic controversies, this study presents a perceptive approach to the inquiry into order and change in industries, allowing for an inclusion of how notions of the natural order and the inevitable change are made and sustained within such fields of economic practice. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögsk., 1999

Electricity power is an irreplaceable resource in industry for a country. Enough and steady-offered electricity is also the support to develop not only traditional industry but high technology industry. Taiwan is a place, where is lacking of natural resources. There is only 3 % of which can be self ¡Vcontained. In fact, electricity power plays one of important roles in achieving ¡§Economic Miracle of Taiwan.¡¨ Basically, electricity power embraces three parts of power generation, power transmission, and distribution. And it is managed by the way of vertically integration. Traditionally, electricity power is assorted into public utility because of its huge principal and social resources, even concerning with the economy and society of the country and is governed and controlled by the government. Whatever country promotes electricity liberalization, the government and the academic put their eye on foster the total efficiency of management through market mechanisms. Electricity liberalization has been working for more than twenty years. Of course, there are some successful cases, for example, like England, Australia, and etc. They do benefit from increasing the occurrence, the efficiency, and decrease the price after operating electricity liberalization. As to Taiwan, the government has the same policy on it, too. The amendments are under discussion in The Legislative Yuan. By referencing to electricity liberalization of other countries and comparing their experiences with Taiwan, the questions below are searched in this thesis. First, does the policy in Taiwan really satisfy the essence of electricity liberalization? Second, could power generation, power transmission, and distribution of the electricity industry be operated by vertically integrated way? After electricity liberalization, it is important that how to do could get good combined with competition of the market, the offer of steady electricity and the society justice. If not, how to modify the rules would satisfy the needs of country development and expectations of the society.

1 Summary Key words: Natural monopoly, network industry, energy industry, regulation, liberalization, unbundling, third party access The present thesis sets out to explore the legal aspects of network industries and natural monopolies. It researches these aspects using the example of the energy sector (i.e. the power and gas industries), which is a typical example of a network industry. In terms of its geographical scope, the thesis focuses on the EU energy law and its specific application in the Czech Republic. The fundamental point of departure for the present thesis is a believe that energy law is closely intertwined with economic policy, and is appropriately interpreted only in the context of the concrete measures, tools, and concepts meant to reflect a nation's energy policy. The main driver of energy policy, and hence also of energy law, is a reform of the energy industry aiming at its liberalization. The key tools for its successful implementation are economic regulation, third party access, unbundling, and public administration by independent regulatory bodies. Firstly, the present thesis discusses the economic characteristics of network industries, that is most importantly the existence of a natural monopoly. The second part of the thesis outlines the background of liberalization and the related...