Consider the market for electricity. Suppose that a power plant dumps byproducts into a nearby river, creating a negative externality for those living downstream from the plant. Producing additional electricity imposes a constant per-unit external cost of $490. The following graph shows the demand (private value) curve and the supply (private cost) curve for electricity. Use the purple points (diamond symbol) to plot the social cost curve when the external cost is $490 per unit. PRICE (Dollars per unit of electricity) 1400 1260 1120 980 840 700 560 420 280 140 ° D 1 2 3 D Supply (Private Cost) Demand (Private Value) 5 6 7 QUANTITY (Units of electricity) Social Cost The market equilibrium quantity is units of electricity, but the socially optimal quantity of electricity production is units. To create an incentive for the firm to produce the socially optimal quantity of electricity, the government could impose a unit of electricity. per

Essentials of Economics (MindTap Course List)
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ISBN:9781337091992
Author:N. Gregory Mankiw
Publisher:N. Gregory Mankiw
Chapter10: Externalities
Section10.1: Externalities And Market Inefficiency
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Consider the market for electricity. Suppose that a power plant dumps byproducts into a nearby river, creating a negative externality for those living
downstream from the plant. Producing additional electricity imposes a constant per-unit external cost of $490. The following graph shows the demand
(private value) curve and the supply (private cost) curve for electricity.
Use the purple points (diamond symbol) to plot the social cost curve when the external cost is $490 per unit.
PRICE (Dollars per unit of electricity)
1400
1260
1120
980
840
700
560
420
280
140
°
D
1
2
3
D
Supply
(Private Cost)
Demand
(Private Value)
5
6
7
QUANTITY (Units of electricity)
Social Cost
The market equilibrium quantity is
units of electricity, but the socially optimal quantity of electricity production is
units.
To create an incentive for the firm to produce the socially optimal quantity of electricity, the government could impose a
unit of electricity.
per
Transcribed Image Text:Consider the market for electricity. Suppose that a power plant dumps byproducts into a nearby river, creating a negative externality for those living downstream from the plant. Producing additional electricity imposes a constant per-unit external cost of $490. The following graph shows the demand (private value) curve and the supply (private cost) curve for electricity. Use the purple points (diamond symbol) to plot the social cost curve when the external cost is $490 per unit. PRICE (Dollars per unit of electricity) 1400 1260 1120 980 840 700 560 420 280 140 ° D 1 2 3 D Supply (Private Cost) Demand (Private Value) 5 6 7 QUANTITY (Units of electricity) Social Cost The market equilibrium quantity is units of electricity, but the socially optimal quantity of electricity production is units. To create an incentive for the firm to produce the socially optimal quantity of electricity, the government could impose a unit of electricity. per
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