Analyzing the Effects of Power Plant Fuel Price Reform on Iran Electricity Market by Using Agent-Based Simulation

Abstract

This paper examines the impacts of fuel price reform on the technology mix of power plants and other outputs of the Iran electricity market. In this regard, Iran electricity market has been simulated by using an agent-based model for a long-term period. Then, as a result of fuel price reform, the changes in the outputs of the electricity market, including the average price, average efficiency, capacity and technology mix of generation has been studied and analyzed. The results show that, the current situation of technology mix of power plants is far from optimum conditions. Accordingly, the reform of fuel prices may change the returns and incentives of investment in different technologies so that, technology mix of power plants would face major changes, and by increasing share of more efficient power plants like combined cycle power plants, the average efficiency of electricity production increase from current 36% to more than 55%.

Keywords

• electricity market
• agent-based simulation
• fuel price reform
• technology mix