For Power Systems, Geography Doesn't Matter, But Electrical Structure Does

In a national grid, where should a new power generating plant be built? In a competitive electricity market, why do wholesale prices for electricity vary between regions? Such innocent questions are often met with rather involved technical and economic answers. How can a more accessible understanding of power grids be articulated, suitable even for a non technical audience? This article discusses one potentially helpful step in this direction: drawing power network diagrams in an electrically meaningful way, rather than using geographic maps that can obscure their inherent structure.European Commission - Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)Electricity Research Centre, UC