Publication:
Paying the Price for Unreliable Power Supplies : In-House Generation of Electricity by Firms in Africa

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dc.contributor.authorSteinbuks, Jevgenijs
dc.contributor.authorFoster, Vivien
dc.date.accessioned2012-03-19T19:10:16Z
dc.date.available2012-03-19T19:10:16Z
dc.date.issued2009-04-01
dc.description.abstractThis paper documents the prevalence of in-house generation of electric power by firms in Sub-Saharan Africa and attempts to identify the underlying causes. The analysis is based on two data sources. The UDI World Electric Power Plants Data Base (WEPP), a global inventory of electric power generating units, provides a detailed inventory of in-house generation at the country level. The World Bank's Enterprise Survey Database captures business perceptions of the obstacles to enterprise growth for 8,483 currently operating firms in 25 African countries. Overall, so-called own generation by firms-which has been on the rise in recent years-accounts for about 6 percent of installed generation capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa (equivalent to at least 4,000 MW of installed capacity). However, this share doubles to around 12 percent in the low-income countries, the post-conflict countries, and more generally on the Western side of the continent. In a handful of countries own generation represents more than 20 percent of capacity. Rigorous empirical analysis shows that unreliable public power supplies is far from being the only or even the largest factor driving generator ownership. Firm characteristics have a major influence-in particular, the probability of owning a generator doubles in large firms relative to small ones. Our model predicts that the prevalence of own generation would remain high (at around 20 percent) even if power supplies were perfectly reliable, suggesting that other factors, such as emergency back-up and export regulations, play a critical role in the decision to own a generator.en
dc.identifierhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20090430142027
dc.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-4913
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/4116
dc.languageEnglish
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPolicy Research working paper ; no. WPS 4913
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holderWorld Bank
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectACCESS TO ELECTRICITY
dc.subjectAPPROACH
dc.subjectAVAILABILITY
dc.subjectAVAILABILITY OF POWER
dc.subjectBACK-UP
dc.subjectBACKUP
dc.subjectBACKUP POWER
dc.subjectBALANCE
dc.subjectBIOMASS
dc.subjectBLACKOUTS
dc.subjectBUSINESS OPERATIONS
dc.subjectBUSINESSES
dc.subjectCAPABILITY
dc.subjectCAPITAL INVESTMENTS
dc.subjectCAPITAL STOCK
dc.subjectCEMENT
dc.subjectCHEMICAL PRODUCTS
dc.subjectCOAL
dc.subjectCOMBUSTION
dc.subjectCOMMERCE
dc.subjectCOMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES
dc.subjectCOMMODITY
dc.subjectCOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES
dc.subjectCONSUMPTION OF ELECTRICITY
dc.subjectCONSUMPTION OF FUEL
dc.subjectCONTRACT ENFORCEMENT
dc.subjectCOST OF ELECTRICITY
dc.subjectCOST OF POWER
dc.subjectCOSTS OF ELECTRICITY
dc.subjectCOSTS OF POWER
dc.subjectDATA ANALYSIS
dc.subjectDEMAND FOR POWER
dc.subjectDIESEL
dc.subjectDIESEL FUEL
dc.subjectDIESEL GENERATORS
dc.subjectDISTRIBUTION NETWORKS
dc.subjectDISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICITY
dc.subjectECONOMIC ASSESSMENT
dc.subjectECONOMIC BENEFITS
dc.subjectECONOMIC COSTS
dc.subjectECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectECONOMIES OF SCALE
dc.subjectELECTRIC POWER
dc.subjectELECTRIC POWER GENERATION
dc.subjectELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRY
dc.subjectELECTRIC POWER PLANTS
dc.subjectELECTRIC POWER SECTOR
dc.subjectELECTRICAL POWER
dc.subjectELECTRICITY COGENERATION
dc.subjectELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION
dc.subjectELECTRICITY PRODUCERS
dc.subjectELECTRICITY SECTOR
dc.subjectELECTRICITY SERVICES
dc.subjectELECTRICITY SUPPLY
dc.subjectELECTRICITY TARIFFS
dc.subjectEMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectEND USERS
dc.subjectENERGY DEPARTMENT
dc.subjectENERGY INTENSITY
dc.subjectENERGY POLICY
dc.subjectENERGY-INTENSIVE INDUSTRIES
dc.subjectENTERPRISE SURVEY
dc.subjectENTERPRISE SURVEYS
dc.subjectEQUIPMENT
dc.subjectEXPORT MARKETS
dc.subjectEXTERNAL FINANCING
dc.subjectFIXED COSTS
dc.subjectFOREIGN TRADE
dc.subjectFOSSIL
dc.subjectFOSSIL FUEL
dc.subjectFRONT OFFICE
dc.subjectFUEL
dc.subjectFUEL CONSUMPTION
dc.subjectFUEL COST
dc.subjectFUEL PRICES
dc.subjectFUEL TYPE
dc.subjectFUEL TYPES
dc.subjectFUELS
dc.subjectGAS
dc.subjectGENERATING CAPACITY
dc.subjectGENERATING UNITS
dc.subjectGENERATION
dc.subjectGENERATION ASSETS
dc.subjectGENERATION BUSINESS
dc.subjectGENERATION CAPACITY
dc.subjectGENERATION COSTS
dc.subjectGENERATION MARKETS
dc.subjectGENERATION OF ELECTRICITY
dc.subjectGENERATOR
dc.subjectGRID
dc.subjectGRID ELECTRIFICATION
dc.subjectHYDROELECTRIC PLANTS
dc.subjectHYDROPOWER
dc.subjectINDUSTRIAL STRUCTURE
dc.subjectINFRASTRUCTURE ACCESS
dc.subjectINFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL COMPARISON
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL ENERGY
dc.subjectINVENTORY
dc.subjectINVESTMENT CLIMATE
dc.subjectINVESTMENT COSTS
dc.subjectKILOWATT-HOUR
dc.subjectLIMITED ACCESS
dc.subjectLOAD FACTOR
dc.subjectMANUFACTURING
dc.subjectMANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES
dc.subjectMARGINAL COST OF ELECTRICITY
dc.subjectMARGINAL COSTS
dc.subjectMEDIUM ENTERPRISES
dc.subjectNATURAL MONOPOLY
dc.subjectOIL
dc.subjectOIL PRICES
dc.subjectOWNERSHIP CHANGE
dc.subjectPEAK LOAD
dc.subjectPETROLEUM
dc.subjectPHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
dc.subjectPOST-CONFLICT
dc.subjectPOWER
dc.subjectPOWER COMPANIES
dc.subjectPOWER GENERATION
dc.subjectPOWER MARKETS
dc.subjectPOWER OUTAGES
dc.subjectPOWER SECTOR
dc.subjectPOWER SECTOR REFORM
dc.subjectPOWER SECTORS
dc.subjectPOWER SUPPLIES
dc.subjectPOWER SUPPLY
dc.subjectPOWER UTILITIES
dc.subjectPRICE OF DIESEL
dc.subjectPRICE OF ELECTRICITY
dc.subjectPRICE VOLATILITY
dc.subjectPRIVATE INVESTMENT
dc.subjectPROCUREMENT
dc.subjectPRODUCTION PROCESS
dc.subjectPRODUCTIVITY
dc.subjectPROVISION OF POWER
dc.subjectPUBLIC POWER
dc.subjectPUBLIC PRIVATE INFRASTRUCTURE
dc.subjectPUBLIC SERVICES
dc.subjectPUBLIC UTILITIES
dc.subjectPUMPS
dc.subjectRAIDS
dc.subjectRAW MATERIALS
dc.subjectRELIABILITY
dc.subjectRENEWABLE ENERGY
dc.subjectRENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectRESULT
dc.subjectRESULTS
dc.subjectRETAIL SALES
dc.subjectSTATE-OWNED UTILITIES
dc.subjectSTRATEGIC VALUE
dc.subjectSUGAR INDUSTRY
dc.subjectSUNK COSTS
dc.subjectTRANSMISSION
dc.subjectUSES
dc.subjectUTILITIES
dc.subjectWEB
dc.subjectWEB SITE
dc.subjectWEB SITES
dc.titlePaying the Price for Unreliable Power Supplies : In-House Generation of Electricity by Firms in Africaen
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.crossref.titlePaying The Price For Unreliable Power Supplies: In-House Generation Of Electricity By Firms In Africa
okr.date.doiregistration2025-04-10T12:18:15.433517Z
okr.doctypePublications & Research::Policy Research Working Paper
okr.docurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20090430142027
okr.globalpracticeEnergy and Extractives
okr.guid341551468191961797
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-4913
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum000158349_20090430142027
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum10509366
okr.identifier.reportWPS4913
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2009/04/30/000158349_20090430142027/Rendered/PDF/WPS4913.pdfen
okr.region.administrativeAfrica
okr.region.administrativeAfrica
okr.region.geographicalAfrica
okr.topicEnergy::Power & Energy Conversion
okr.topicEnergy::Energy Production and Transportation
okr.unitDevelopment Research Group (DECRG)
okr.volume1 of 1
relation.isAuthorOfPublication059954cc-a249-5318-9829-61a08ded2637
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery059954cc-a249-5318-9829-61a08ded2637
relation.isSeriesOfPublication26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
relation.isSeriesOfPublication.latestForDiscovery26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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