Abstract

Nima Norouzi, and Maryam Fani*

Competition law is mentioned as one of the effective factors in promoting the welfare and economic efficiency. But in an economy, not all industries and parts of an industry may be able to accept competition; these industries are known as “natural monopolies.” It is said that “energy,” which is considered a natural monopoly, must be completed in the hands of the government. While examining the basic concepts, this article seeks to examine the issue of whether the energy sector is competitive? And if the answer is yes, in which sectors of the industry are the mentioned capabilities? Is it fundamentally correct to assume that the energy sector, especially electricity and gas, is a natural monopoly? It can be said that although in the energy industry, the production of electricity or gas may be controlled by the government or the private sector, its transmission and distribution is managed by the private sector under certain conditions and is competitive in the open market. In addition to answering the above questions, this article examines the infrastructure, challenges, and opportunities for competition in the energy market, especially in the electricity and gas industry.