{"product_id":"9781464811548","title":"In the Dark: How Much Do Power Sector Distortions Cost South Asia?","description":"\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor\/Contributor(s):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003eZhang, Fan\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWorld Bank Publications\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e12\/12\/2018\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBinding:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003ePaperback\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003eNEW\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003eElectricity shortages are among the biggest barriers to South Asia’s\ndevelopment. Some 255 million people—more than a quarter of the world’s\noff-grid population—live in South Asia, and millions of households and firms\nthat are connected experience frequent and long hours of blackouts.\nInefficiencies originating in every link of the electricity supply chain contribute\nsignificantly to the power deficit. Three types of distortions lead to most of the\ninefficiencies: institutional distortions caused by state ownership and weak\ngovernance; regulatory distortions resulting from price regulation, subsidies,\nand cross-subsidies; and social distortions (externalities) causing excessive\nenvironmental and health damages from energy use.\n\nUsing a common analytical framework and covering all stages of power supply,\nIn the Dark identifies and estimates how policy-induced distortions have\naffected South Asian economies. The book introduces two innovations. First, it\ngoes beyond fiscal costs, evaluating the impact of distortions from a welfare\nperspective by measuring the impact on consumer wellbeing, producer surplus,\nand environmental costs. And second, the book adopts a broader definition of the\nsector that covers the entire power supply chain, including upstream fuel supply\nand downstream access and reliability.\n\nThe book finds that the full cost of distortions in the power sector is far greater\nthan previously estimated based on fiscal cost alone: The estimated total\neconomic cost is 4–7 percent of the gross domestic product in Bangladesh, India,\nand Pakistan. Some of the largest costs are upstream and downstream.\nFew other reforms could quickly yield the huge economic gains that power\nsector reform would produce. By expanding access to electricity and improving\nthe quality of supply, power sector reform would also directly benefit poor\nhouseholds. The highest payoffs are likely to come from institutional reforms,\nexpansion of reliable access, and the appropriate pricing of carbon and local air\npollution emissions.","brand":"World Bank Publications","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46613435285759,"sku":"9781464811548","price":39.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0452\/0886\/2873\/files\/Jacket_cfe42504-c2b3-47a4-8f02-a39084620a04.jpg?v=1739940912","url":"https:\/\/massivebookshop.com\/products\/9781464811548","provider":"MASSIVE BOOKSHOP","version":"1.0","type":"link"}