This paper provides an empirical analysis of price responsiveness in retail and wholesale markets in the Midcontinent ISO electricity markets. In the retail market, consumers do not often observe real-time price changes and pay a pre-determined flat rate, but are able to respond to price over longer time periods. In the wholesale electricity market, buyers are able to adjust their electricity purchases based on real-time price changes. Our findings show that retail industrial customers respond differently in different across states in the Midwest. The authors also find differences in real-time wholesale price elasticities between sub-regional pricing hubs in the MISO footprint. Results suggest that the observed differences in price responsiveness of demand across market levels and sub-regions are associated with demand response program adoption.
Seeing what sellers miss—a constructive approach to utility M&A in an age of increasing uncertainty
CRA’s Jim McMahon highlights how consolidation in the utility sector is accelerating due to increased uncertainty and the influx of private capital, but the...