Suppose regulators are deciding how the local electric company is allowed to set prices. Demand for electricity is given by P = 40-Q, where Q is millions of megawatt hours demanded annually. The electric company is allowed to operate as a monopoly. The marginal cost of the company is $2, while the fixed cost is $150 million annually. (a) If the price of the electric company was not regulated, what price would it set? What would be its profits and the deadweight loss? (b) Knowing the fixed cost, demand curve, and marginal cost of the utility, the regulator decides to set a linear price that allows the electric utility to break even. What is this price? What would be the deadweight loss? (c) Suppose that demand for electricity varies over the course of the day and is most inelastic in the middle of the day. Illustrate how the regulator could use this information to improve on the outcome in (b)? Would there be any challenges that would prevent regulators from using the prices you describe?

Suppose regulators are deciding how the local electric company is allowed to set prices. Demand for electricity is given by P = 40-Q, where Q is millions of megawatt hours demanded annually. The electric company is allowed to operate as a monopoly. The marginal cost of the company is $2, while the fixed cost is $150 million annually. (a) If the price of the electric company was not regulated, what price would it set? What would be its profits and the deadweight loss? (b) Knowing the fixed cost, demand curve, and marginal cost of the utility, the regulator decides to set a linear price that allows the electric utility to break even. What is this price? What would be the deadweight loss? (c) Suppose that demand for electricity varies over the course of the day and is most inelastic in the middle of the day. Illustrate how the regulator could use this information to improve on the outcome in (b)? Would there be any challenges that would prevent regulators from using the prices you describe?

Micro Economics For Today

10th Edition

ISBN:9781337613064

Author:Tucker, Irvin B.

Publisher:Tucker, Irvin B.

Chapter13: Antitrust And Regulation

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 10SQP

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