Hancock's blog

Entertaining and fully disclosed - but less potent than market power

I'm talking to Jim Bushnell, an Associate Professor at the University of California, Davis – who was in New Zealand in August as the S.T. Lee fellow at the New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation.

Last week, Jim explained what the 2001 Californian Power Crisis did for the political career of Arnold Schwarzenegger, amongst others. This week he talks specifically about how Enron made its money in California – the strategies are well disclosed but what they made was peanuts compared to some of the other players!

In August, Bushnell gave a lecture in Wellington asking If Electricity Liberalisation is So Great, why does everybody hate it?

You can take the politics out of power but...

I'm talking to Jim Bushnell, an Associate Professor at the University of California, Davis – who was in New Zealand in August as the S.T. Lee fellow at the New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation.

Last week, Jim talked about the counterintuitive blackouts in the 2001 Californian Power Crisis they saw – even when there was surplus generation capacity available. This week he explains what it did for some high-profile political careers, including that of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In August, Bushnell gave a lecture in Wellington asking If Electricity Liberalisation is So Great, why does everybody hate it?

How the Californian Power Crisis went from financial to physical

I'm talking to Jim Bushnell, an Associate Professor at the University of California, Davis – who was in New Zealand in August as the S. T. Lee fellow at the New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation.

Last week, Jim started to explain what actually happened in the 2001 Californian electricity crisis. This week he talks about the counterintuitive blackouts they saw – even when there was surplus generation capacity available.

In August, Bushnell gave a lecture in Wellington asking If Electricity Liberalisation is So Great, why does everybody hate it?

Bad market design or maverick trading?

I'm talking to Jim Bushnell, an Associate Professor at the University of California, Davis – who was in New Zealand in August as the S. T. Lee fellow at the New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation.

Last week, Jim gave us his perspective on the California electricity crisis and Enron's role in it. He doesn't think they were the real problem. This week he starts to explain what was.

In August, Bushnell gave a lecture in Wellington asking If Electricity Liberalisation is So Great, why does everybody hate it?

What an expert thinks

I'm talking to Jim Bushnell, an Associate Professor at the University of California, Davis – who was in New Zealand in August as the S.T. Lee fellow at the New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation.

Last week, Jim explained the problems that Single Buyer proposals faced in the US 10 years ago – useful input to the debate over NZ Power. This week I get to talk about Enron again: Jim lives in California and was there when they were – he gives us his perspectives.

In August, Bushnell gave a lecture in Wellington asking If Electricity Liberalisation is So Great, why does everybody hate it?.

Not again?

I'm taking to Jim Bushnell, an Associate Professor at the University of California, Davis – who was in New Zealand in 2013. This is from a series of podcasts I recorded back then which remain relevant today as we ask questions again around electricity market reform.

Last week, I asked Jim about the Labour-Green Power NZ proposals – it rang a few bells. This week he explains the problems that similar proposals faced in the US 10 years ago.

In August, Bushnell gave a lecture in Wellington asking If Electricity Liberalisation is So Great, why does everybody hate it?.

Surprisingly familiar

I'm talking to Jim Bushnell, an Associate Professor at the University of California, Davis – who was in New Zealand in 2013. This is from a series of podcasts I recorded back then which remain relevant today as we ask questions again around electricity market reform.

Last week, Jim talked us through the reform process the US followed and reflected on the results in 2006: higher prices in the states that had deregulated. This week I ask him about the Labour-Green NZ Power proposals – it rang a few bells.

In August, Bushnell gave a lecture in Wellington asking If Electricity Liberalisation is So Great, why does everybody hate it?

...and increasing. Not a great scorecard

I'm taking to Jim Bushnell, an Associate Professor at the University of California, Davis – who was in New Zealand in 2013. This is from a series of podcasts I recorded back then which remain relevant today as we ask questions again around electricity market reform.

Last week, Jim talked us through the reform process the US followed. This week he reflects on how successful it had been by 2006: not very by all accounts.

Topically enough, we've had another US Professor visiting us at the time and contrasting the evolution of our electricity market (including the Labour-Green NZ Power proposal) with those in the States. Next week Jim gets to the same territory. Surprisingly they've already been there.

Bushnell is the 2013 S T Lee visiting fellow at the New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation. Before joining UC Davis he spent 15 years as the director of research at the University of California Energy Institute in Berkeley.

In August, Bushnell gave a lecture in Wellington asking If Electricity Liberalisation is So Great, why does everybody hate it?

A story of many paths

This is the third of a podcast series I recorded back in 2013 on Energy News that I am now releasing. It remains relevant today as we embark on another review of the New Zealand electricity market.

I'm talking to Jim Bushnell, an Associate Professor at the University of California, Davis, who was in New Zealand in 2013.

Last week, Jim looked back at the US electric industry before liberalisation and what was wrong with it. This week, he talks us through the reform process they followed. It was quite a bit more complex than in New Zealand!

Bushnell is the 2013 S T Lee visiting fellow at the New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation. Before joining UC Davis he spent 15 years as the director of research at the University of California Energy Institute in Berkeley.

In August, Bushnell gave a lecture in Wellington asking If Electricity Liberalisation is So Great, why does everybody hate it?

I'm talking to Jim Bushnell, an Associate Professor at the University of California, Davis. I'm releasing a podcast series recorded back in 2013 that is still very relevant today as we explore market reform in New Zealand.

Last week, Jim explained what motivated him to write the lecture he gave in Wellington in 2013 - If Electricity Liberalisation is So Great, why does everybody hate it?

This week, he looks back at the US electric industry before liberalisation, what was wrong with it, and who pushed for change.