Emergency management in the Swedish electricity market: the need to challenge the responsibility gap

A secure energy supply is a basic need of society. Along with electricity market deregulation, a responsibility gap has arisen, where private energy companies lack economic incentives to invest in an electricity distribution grid that is secured to the level desired by society. This article discusses the emergency management strategies of municipal authorities for securing the electricity supply, according to a networked, or “governance”, control and direction structure, and how this influences the relationship between electricity companies and Swedish municipalities. The Swedish electricity system has traditionally developed in a monopoly context. Since electricity market deregulation, the responsibility for electricity supply security has become unclear; field studies of Swedish municipalities indicate that all actors still seem to be seeking to find their proper roles in the deregulated market. Municipalities still expect to exercise influence over private energy company decisions regarding prioritization of emergency power deliveries. Energy companies vacillate between emphasizing their need to regard economic factors and their sense of responsibility for providing a secure electricity supply to vital municipal functions (even though municipalities may lack contracts specifying this).