Question

A single public utilities company is responsible for supplying electricity for an entire state. As a result, the utilities company can set the price of electricity.
True / False.

Answer 1

Answer: True

Explanation: Because the company is the sole supplier of electricity in this market, they have all the market power. Market power is the ability the company has to manipulate the market by influencing prices, the level of supply it provides and thus the demand within that market. Companies within markets such as these are known as "price makers", because they are able to change prices of their goods without losing market share.

Because the public utilities company is the sole provider of electricity within this market, they have no pressure or competition from other suppliers within the market. Therefore they have the market power to freely charge higher prices by limiting the supply of electricity. Or charge lower prices by over supplying electricity to consumers.