A complex network approach for a regional power grid analysis

Nowadays energy issues are no longer negligible. Primary sources, used every day for our livelihood, will not last forever and we'll have to face this problem. Even renewable energies, always considered as part of the solution, are not stable enough to substitute or significantly integrate our traditional system. Smart grid researchers try to face these challenges through the proposal of a new concept of intelligent grid equipped with sensors and devices able to constantly monitor demand and supply of the electrical grid. This architecture will be able to direct energy only where and when it is needed, avoiding waste and improving power quality at the same time. After a short recap about grid proprieties and challenges, we propose a study of the model of our regional power grid in Sardinia, using concept and parameters typical of complex network analysis. We comment all the design choices adopted during the model construction, pointing out the importance of using appropriate weights to define connections between substations, in order to represent the behavior of the grid properly. We show, through an example, how the betweenness can change employing different cost settings and lay the foundation for a future work.