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The social structure of large scale blackouts
Descriptive
TypeOfResource
Text
TitleInfo
(ID = T-1)
Title
The social structure of large scale blackouts
SubTitle
changing environment, institutional imbalance, and unresponsive organziations
Identifier
ETD_2855
Identifier
(type = hdl)
http://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.1/rucore10001600001.ETD.000056700
Language
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(authority = ISO639-2);
(type = code)
eng
Genre
(authority = marcgt)
theses
Subject
(ID = SBJ-1);
(authority = RUETD)
Topic
Planning and Public Policy
Subject
(ID = SBJ-2);
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Electric power failures--Social aspects--United States
Subject
(ID = SBJ-3);
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Electric lines--United States
Subject
(ID = SBJ-4);
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Electric power transmission--Reliability
Abstract
(type = abstract)
This dissertation analyzes and explores the social structure of large scale blackouts from organizational and institutional perspectives and in consideration of power relations. Between 1965 and 2003, large scale blackouts or cascading outages have happened continually in the West, Midwestern, and Northeastern regions in the United States. Because technology is not separate from society, it is helpful to examine large scale blackouts as a case of the collapse of socio-technical systems. From this perspective, the dissertation first tests hypotheses regarding the characteristics of vulnerable power systems. Then it explores four representative, large scale blackouts: the 1965 Northeast blackout, the 1977 New York City blackout, the 1996 Western blackout, and the 2003 Northeast blackout. In particular, it examines the creation of institutions for electricity reliability, the characteristics of the institutions for electricity reliability in each historical period, and the interactions between electric utilities and those institutions. The hypothesis test identifies as vulnerable those power systems having large size utility companies, weak institutional conditions (no strict standards, lack of complex human management, and weak regulatory relationships), high summer peaks, greater electric power losses than others, and (or) less investment in facilities and technologies. These characteristics are outcomes of the historical development and organization of power systems that created tightly interconnected power systems with individualized systems control. Large scale blackouts usually happen in the regions where vulnerable control areas are located. The four case studies show that cascading outages happen continually due to the repeated failure to create “a culture of reliability” among organizations by means of a strong institution. Such an institution would centralize basic premises and assumptions corresponding to the interconnected grid systems and decentralize system operators’ decisions at the local level. Power relations obstruct the development of strong institutions for creating a culture of reliability that is necessary in inter-organizational relationships, resulting in an imbalance between efficiency and reliability. Powerful groups, usually private utilities whose interests are different from those of legislators and regulators, impede the centralization of values and goals in the inter-organizational relationships, and determine the degree of centralization.
PhysicalDescription
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electronic resource
Extent
x, 340 p. : ill., map
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text/xml
Note
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Ph.D.
Note
(type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Note
(type = vita)
Includes vita
Note
(type = statement of responsibility)
by Hyunsoo Park
Name
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Park
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Hyunsoo
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1963-
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author
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Hyunsoo Park
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Andrews
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Clinton J.
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chair
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Advisory Committee
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Clinton J. Andrews
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(type = family)
Wiggins
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Lyna
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internal member
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Advisory Committee
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Lyna Wiggins
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(type = family)
Rubin
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(type = given)
Julia Sass
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internal member
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Advisory Committee
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Julia Sass Rubin
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(type = family)
Clarke
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Lee
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outside member
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Advisory Committee
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Lee Clarke
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Rutgers University
Role
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degree grantor
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Graduate School - New Brunswick
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school
OriginInfo
DateCreated
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2010
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2010-10
Place
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xx
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TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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ETD
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Title
Graduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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rucore19991600001
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NjNbRU
Identifier
(type = doi)
doi:10.7282/T30V8CH1
Genre
(authority = ExL-Esploro)
ETD doctoral
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Rights
RightsDeclaration
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(ID = rulibRdec0006)
The author owns the copyright to this work.
Copyright
Status
Copyright protected
Availability
Status
Open
Reason
Permission or license
RightsHolder
(ID = PRH-1);
(type = personal)
Name
FamilyName
Park
GivenName
Hyunsoo
Role
Copyright Holder
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Type
Permission or license
DateTime
2010-09-10 10:50:16
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Name
Hyunsoo Park
Affiliation
Rutgers University. Graduate School - New Brunswick
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License
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Author Agreement License
Detail
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
RightsEvent
(ID = RE-2);
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Type
Embargo
DateTime
2010-10-31
Detail
Access to this PDF has been restricted at the author's request. It will be publicly available after October 31st, 2011.
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Technical
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ETD
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application/pdf
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application/x-tar
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4730880
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