Monitoring the Social and Economic Impacts of Electricity Privatization in Turkey

The broad objective of this study is to conduct quantitative and qualitative assessments designed with input from UNDP methodology to analyze the social impact of privatization of electricity distribution on households in Turkey that will enable the World Bank and the Government of Turkey to plan and design mitigation measures, if necessary, for low-income households in order to make reforms more acceptable to all stakeholders.

Description of actual services provided by the staff within the assignment:

e.Gen Consultants Ltd. conducted  a survey to 1,500 households selected from 23 provinces of 20 electricity distribution regions. The sample of 1,500 has been determined by the client according to the number of electricity customers, regional characteristics and the technical/non-technical losses of each province.

• Identified electricity and other types of energy consumption patterns for different groups across various regions;

• Understood the affordability of electricity consumption for households;

• Assessed consumers’ satisfaction with services;

• Assessed the impact of energy tariff increases across different groups with particular reference to poverty and affordability;

• Identified the ability of households to afford tariff increases based on existing household income/expenditure survey data;

• Assessed the efficiency, scope and targeting of existing social assistance mechanisms and the role they could play in mitigating negative impacts;

• Suggested alternative mitigation measures that might complement social assistance in supporting affordability.

• Understood the spending patterns on energy throughout the year to identify the most stressful times with respect to energy payments and the type of activities that would be affected by tariff increases;

• Identified barriers/incentives for substitutions between different energy sources;

• Identified factors magnifying or affecting the impact of the reforms or acting as a barrier to the effectiveness of safety nets;

• Identified alternative types of measures households can look into in order to cope with price increases;

• Realized the perception on quality of service and interaction with energy service providers including transparency, clarity of tariff-setting process, accountability, issues of arrears and non-payment;

• Identified the type of programs that participants use to support them with basic needs, ease of access, also to identify effectiveness of such programs;

• Suggested measures for making these programs more impactful in protecting poor households from adverse impacts of energy tariff increase