Institutional Vulnerability and Power System Disturbances in the United States

Hyunsoo Park

International Review of Public Administration, 2012, vol. 17, issue 2, 63-92

Abstract: This paper observes general patterns of large-scale blackouts, using North America Electricity Reliability Corporation (NERC) data on power system disturbances. The research focus is on the challenge of physical complexity, the characteristics of institutions, and organization conditions that should be overcome by good organizational performance. Using event history analysis, this study tests whether these structural conditions are managed in a manner that is sufficiently integrated and sophisticated at the institutional level. The major findings of this study are as follows. The vulnerability of utilities increases as the size of power systems increases. Vulnerable utilities are located in the reliability regions where strict contractual penalties are not applied, where emergency plans are not as complex as the complex systems, or where regulatory relationships with federal and state governments are weak. These utilities have higher summer peaks per customer, face more electric power losses than others, or invest less in facilities and technologies.

Date: 2012
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DOI: 10.1080/12294659.2012.10805228

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