Analysis of structure of the power transmission grid in Russia: evaluation of the small world model applicability

In the paper complex network theory are used for analysis of spatial and topology structure of the United national energy system (UNES). The research is mainly focused on the applicability of the small-world network model to UNES. Small world networks are fragile to cascade failure effects and it implies the importance of this model for power grids network analysis. Although much research on applicability of the small world model to national level transmission grids has been done, there is no consolidated opinion on the subject. In the paper the latticization algorithm and small world criterion based on it have been used for transmission grid analysis for the first time. Geo-lattisization algorithm has been developed for more precise analysis of infrastructure networks with geographic binding of nodes. A reliable conclusion that the small world model is applicable to the UNES has been made using this methods. New methods could be used for others infrastructure networks analysis.