 Management of Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure as Part of the National Energy Security SystemTomasz Grudniewski, Malgorzata Dobrzynska-Dabska, Zbigniew Ciekanowski, Valeriy Kuznetsov, Artur Rojek and Slawomir Zurawski European Research Studies Journal, 2025, vol. XXVIII, issue 4, 855-872 Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of the article is to identify the importance of transmission and distribution infrastructure management for ensuring national energy security. The authors analyse the role of planning, organisation and supervision of energy networks in the context of the security of electricity, gas and heat supply. The article aims to assess the impact of infrastructure quality and management activities on the energy system's resilience to technical, economic, and political threats. It provides guidance on enhancing Poland's energy security management. Design/methodology/approach: The research involved an analysis of literature sources, legal acts, strategic documents, and reports from national and international institutions. The analysis covered, among other things, the provisions of the Energy Law, European Union directives and regulations on energy supply security, as well as the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Comparative analysis and critical literature review were also used to identify key factors in transmission and distribution infrastructure management. The research question was formulated as follows: How do the condition and management of transmission and distribution networks affect a country's energy security? Based on this problem, the following research hypothesis was formulated: Effective management of transmission and distribution infrastructure, including development planning, protection and modernisation of networks, significantly increases the level of national energy security by ensuring the continuity and stability of energy supply. Practical implications: The analysis results indicate several practical implications for managing transmission and distribution infrastructure. First and foremost, the need for integrated planning of energy network development based on national energy strategies, climate policy and EU regulations was emphasised. It is essential to strengthen the risk management capabilities of transmission system operators and to introduce practical tools for monitoring technical and cyber threats. The article also highlights the need to establish national sources of financing for infrastructure investments and to ensure the balanced development of the network throughout the country, particularly in less industrialised regions. Another important implication is the need to strengthen the physical and ICT protection of critical infrastructure and to limit its excessive visibility, which may prevent acts of sabotage or external interference. The need to develop the competences of management and technical staff in the areas of cybersecurity, crisis management and incident response was also highlighted. All these measures should lead to the creation of an integrated transmission infrastructure security management system based on cooperation between public administration, system operators and energy supervisory institutions. Findings: The analysis confirmed that effective management of transmission and distribution infrastructure is a key element of the national energy security system. An efficient, fail-safe, and modern transmission network guarantees the continuity of energy supply and the stability of the economy. It has been demonstrated that a lack of investment, insufficient long-term planning, and weak ICT security can result in reduced transmission capacity and an increased risk of energy crises. The results of the study also indicate that effective infrastructure management requires synergy between national policy and European Union regulations, as well as consistent action in the areas of network development, investment and risk management. Practical implications: The article brings new cognitive value through its interdisciplinary approach to the issue of energy infrastructure management in the context of national security. The authors combine technical, legal, and organisational perspectives, highlighting the relationship between network management efficiency and a country's resilience to energy threats. Originality/value: The originality of the work is evident in its comprehensive analysis of the organisational and regulatory factors of critical infrastructure management, as well as in the formulation of practical recommendations of significance for public administration, system operators, and entities responsible for the country's energy security. Keywords: Management of transmission and distribution infrastructure; national energy security. (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ers:journl:v:xxviii:y:2025:i:4:p:855-872 Access Statistics for this article More articles in European Research Studies Journal from European Research Studies Journal |
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