Securing the Current

How Systems, Societies and Institutions Shape the Reliability of the Electric Grid: Exploring the External Forces Surrounding the Grid, From Governance and Affordability to Social Cohesion and Global Stability.
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-87-438-1347-7
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd (Sales)

Buch, Englisch, 78 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 122 g

Reihe: River Publishers Rapids in Power

This book examines emerging theories of electric grid reliability from a non-technical perspective, offering insights relevant to societies experiencing economic, political, or environmental instability.

Using a multidisciplinary lens, it explores the complex relationship between critical infrastructure and broader societal conditions. The book challenges the traditional reliability paradigm—effective in stable, mature grid environments but increasingly fragile in regions facing systemic stress.

Through analysis of key domains influencing grid performance, supported by real-world examples and evidence-based research, the text expands the conversation beyond conventional engineering frameworks. It shows how reliability is shaped not only by technical systems but also by institutions, economies, and social structures.

By reframing reliability in this broader context, the book provides policymakers, analysts, engineers, and researchers with new perspectives on understanding and strengthening electric infrastructure in an increasingly uncertain world.

Zielgruppe

Academic, Postgraduate, and Professional Practice & Development

Autoren/Hrsg.

Weir, Sofia

Fachgebiete

• Naturwissenschaften Physik Mechanik Energie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Beyond Access: Reliability in a Global Context 2. Disaster Exposure, Affordability, and Institutional Design 3. Fragility, Geopolitical and Security Risks, and Infrastructure Interdependencies 4. Conclusions on the Living System

Über Autor(innen)

Sofia Weir is an energy-sector analyst and reliability professional whose work explores the intersection of infrastructure resilience, policy design, and societal stability. She holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical and Energy Engineering and an M.Sc. in Energy Policy and Climate from Johns Hopkins University, and is certified as an Engineer-in-Training (E.I.T.). Weir is an active member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), participating in the Power & Energy Society, Reliability Society, and Systems Council. Her professional and research interests center on how economic, social, and environmental dynamics influence the reliability of electric systems—a theme first explored in her graduate research on Venezuela’s grid collapse.