Effects of demand control on the complex dynamics of electric power system blackouts.

The propagation of failures and blackouts in electric networks is a complex problem. Typical models, such as the ORNL-PSerc-Alaska (OPA), are based on a combination of fast and slow dynamics. The first describes the cascading failures while the second describes the grid evolution through line and generation upgrades as well as demand growth, all taking place in time scales from days to years.

Critical behavior of power transmission network complex dynamics in the OPA model.

Many complex infrastructure systems, such as electric power transmission grids, display characteristics of a critical or near critical behavior with a risk of large cascading failures. Understanding this risk and its relation to the system state as it evolves could allow for a more realistic risk assessment and even for mitigation measures. We use the OPA model of cascading blackouts and grid evolution to describe and quantify regimes of criticality of the power grid.

The interplay of network structure and dispatch solutions in power grid cascading failures.

For a given minimum cost of the electricity dispatch, multiple equivalent dispatch solutions may exist. We explore the sensitivity of networks to these dispatch solutions and their impact on the vulnerability of the network to cascading failure blackouts. It is shown that, depending on the heterogeneity of the network structure, the blackout statistics can be sensitive to the dispatch solution chosen, with the clustering coefficient of the network being a key ingredient.