Assessment of structural vulnerability for power grids by network performance based on complex networks

Power grids have been widely acknowledged as complex networks (CN) since this theory emerged and received considerable attention recently. Many works have been performed to investigate the structural vulnerability of power grids from the topological point of view based on CN. However, most of them applied conceptions and measurements of CN directly to the analysis of power grids which have more specific features that can not be reflected in generic perspective. This paper proposes several most serious obstacles for applying CN to analysis of vulnerability for power grids. Based on the proposed solutions for these obstacles, specific concept of network performance to indicate power supply ability of the network will be defined. Furthermore, the proposed method will be investigated by a 34-bus test system in comparison with the result from general concept of efficiency in CN to indicate its effectiveness.