Out of the Darkness and into the Light? Development Effects of Rural Electrification

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Burlig, Fiona; Preonas, Louis
• 署名单位: University of Chicago; National Bureau of Economic Research; University System of Maryland; University of Maryland College Park
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF POLITICAL ECONOMY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0022-3808
• DOI: 10.1086/730204
• 发表日期: 2024
• 页码: 2937-2971
• 关键词: electricity

摘要

Nearly 1 billion people still lack electricity access. Developing countries are investing billions of dollars in last-mile electrification, although evidence on its economic impacts is mixed. We estimate the development effects of rural electrification in the context of India's national electrification program, RGGVY (Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana), which reached over 400,000 villages. Using regression-discontinuity and difference-in-differences designs, we estimate that RGGVY meaningfully expanded electricity access. However, the program generated limited economic impacts after 3-5 years. Scaling our intent-to-treat estimates using instrumental variables, we find that full electrification reduces welfare in small villages but has a 33% internal rate of return in large villages.