30 september 2008, from 10.30 am à 12 pm
GIS LARSEN, campus of Fontenay aux Roses
Speakers : Ute Dubois et Roxana Saplacan (ADIS-GRJM and EDF R&D)
Abstract : This article analyzes organisational change in electricity distribution and retail and its impact on public service issues. Organisational change results from the European electricity directives which have imposed major changes on electricity distribution. The EU Electricity directive (2003/54/EC) has required the legal unbundling of electricity distribution networks by July 1st 2007. Organisational change also results from an adaptation of distribution and supply companies to the newly competitive environment in the electricity sector. This has resulted in a diversity of organizational choices across Europe. While most analyses of reforms have focused on the wholesale level, a better understanding of reforms conducted at the retail level is needed, especially to analyse their impact on public service issues. We first propose a modular approach to analyse the impact of reforms on reorganizations in the distribution and retail business. We then analyze two important aspects of public service, the regulation of quality of supply and the protection of vulnerable customers.