Public utility regulation: change and scope

Book · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1975

OSTI ID:7363630

Sichel, W; Gies, T G ^[1]

---

1. eds.

The essays presented in this volume take a look at the economics of the public utility industry and the economics of regulations. In the first paper, ''Entropy Economics,'' Kenneth E. Boulding criticizes public utilities, regulatory groups, managers, governments, and economists, but states that the U.S. can ''recover a sense of the future'' and ''create a sustainable society.'' The second paper, ''Can Regulation Curb Corporate Power'' by Walter Adams, points out that the power to regulate too often becomes the power to protect, and that regulation does not encourage technological advance or penalize inefficiency. However, regulation is defended by David S. Schwartz in his essay, ''Recent Developments in the Natural Gas Industry--A New Perspective.'' Schwartz, who favors more involvement by the Federal Power Commission, states that competition would not necessarily result in good performance. John Monsees in ''The Structure of Utility Rates'' describes how rate structure is designed for a large electric utility firm. The fifth essay, by William G. Rosenberg, suggests a program of Federal insurance and guarantees of utility debt as a solution to utilities' financing problems. According to Asher H. Ende in his paper, ''Administrative Reform and the Regulatory Processes,'' rates should be based on questions of efficiency and cost effectiveness, not on whether rates are just, reasonable, and equitable. The final paper, by Barbara B. Murray, discusses the irreversibility of pollution, pollution control devices, and costs of pollution control. (BYB)

• OSTI ID: 7363630
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
031000 -- Natural Gas-- Legislation & Regulations
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290200 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Economics & Sociology
293000* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
294003 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Natural Gas
296000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Electric Power
CHARGES
ECONOMICS
ELECTRIC POWER
FINANCING
INDUSTRY
NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY
POLLUTION REGULATIONS
POWER
PUBLIC UTILITIES
REGULATIONS