In this paper, we analyze the economic impacts of the West-East Electricity Transmission Project (WEETP) project using the multi-period difference-in-difference (DID) method based on county-level data from 2000 to 2020. Our findings indicate that the WEETP project inhibits firm entry in electricity-exporting regions while encouraging firm entry in electricity-importing regions, thus hindering regional development equalization. Specifically, the initiation of WEETP discouraged firm activity in the southern and central corridors' exporting regions but boosted firm activity in the northern corridor. Additionally, WEETP exacerbated infrastructure overbuilding and environmental damage in energy-exporting regions, further weakening entrepreneurial dynamism (ED) and widening the development gap with energy-importing regions. Our study provides insights into the real impact of national energy strategies on regional development and highlights the institutional factors contributing to the resource curse. The findings demonstrate the limitations of non-market pricing approaches to resource allocation, thereby offering an empirical basis for narrowing the development gap and promoting developmental affirmative action.

中文翻译：

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放大或缩小：能源战略、发展平等和区域创业活力


在本文中，我们基于 2000 年至 2020 年的县级数据，使用多期双重差分 （DID） 方法分析了西电东送工程 （WEETP） 项目的经济影响。我们的研究结果表明，WEETP 项目抑制了企业进入电力出口地区，同时鼓励企业进入电力进口地区，从而阻碍了区域发展均衡。具体而言，WEETP 的启动抑制了南部和中部走廊出口地区的企业活动，但促进了北部走廊的企业活动。此外，WEETP 加剧了能源出口地区的基础设施过度建设和环境破坏，进一步削弱了创业活力 （ED） 并扩大了与能源进口地区的发展差距。我们的研究提供了对国家能源战略对区域发展的真正影响的见解，并强调了导致资源诅咒的制度因素。研究结果表明，非市场定价方法在资源分配方面的局限性，从而为缩小发展差距和促进发展平权行动提供了实证基础。