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Efficiency of the Ecuadorian electricity sector measured through the Dea-Network model
Ariel Enrique Pilco Córdova
Gerardo Mauricio Zurita Vaca
Karina Alexandra Alvarez Basantes
María Gabriela González Bautista
Journal of Infrastructure Policy and Development 2025, 9(3); https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd5405
Submitted:23 Mar 2024
Accepted:21 Jun 2024
Published:06 Nov 2025
Abstract

The Ecuadorian electricity sector encompasses generation, transmission, distribution and sales. Since the change of the Constitution in Ecuador in 2008, the sector has opted to employ a centralized model. The present research aims to measure the efficiency level of the Ecuadorian electricity sector during the period 2012–2021, using a DEA-NETWORK methodology, which allows examining and integrating each of the phases defined above through intermediate inputs, which are inputs in subsequent phases and outputs of some other phases. These intermediate inputs are essential for analyzing efficiency from a global view of the system. For research purposes, the Ecuadorian electricity sector was divided into 9 planning zones. The results revealed that the efficiency of zones 6 and 8 had the greatest impact on the overall efficiency of the Ecuadorian electricity sector during the period 20122015. On the other hand, the distribution phase is the most efficient with an index of 0.9605, followed by sales with an index of 0.6251. It is also concluded that the most inefficient phases are generation and transmission, thus verifying the problems caused by the use of a centralized model.

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