Transmission expansion investment: Cooperative or non-cooperative game?

The debate on which is the best incentive for transmission expansion is still active. Discussions center on economic mechanisms based on game theory to expand transmission. There is a mix of experiences and they vary in function of the level of interaction of market agents. Identifying the agents´ strategies will allow a better understanding of the market´s dynamics. This article assesses regulatory incentives based on the market for transmission expansion. Game theory fundamentals are developed, namely, the cooperative and non-cooperative games. Four base cases of a bi-nodal model were implemented. It is claimed that given the individual interests (egotistical) and grid characteristics (non-stored energy, circulating flows and variables), the transmission expansion fits better to a non-cooperative model. An alternative analysis is the design of Bayesian mechanisms.