Mapping power system inequities in Florida

Multi-event system fragility analysis and identification of spatially disadvantaged communities

Bibliographic Data

ID22028523
AuthorsAlexys H Rodríguez-Avellaneda (The Ohio State University), Abdollah Shafieezadeh (0000-0001-6768-8522, The Ohio State University, corresponding author), Alper Yilmaz (0000-0003-0755-2628, The Ohio State University)
Year2026
Volume137
Pages106107
Publication date2026-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2212-4209
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.ijdrr.2026.106107
OpenAlexW7138887695
LanguageEN
References cited45

While recent scholarship has expanded to analyze power outages across multiple hazard events, there remains a critical gap in quantifying system-level fragility to assess the robustness of power systems across diverse utility providers. Relying on outage counts without accounting for the non-linear relationship between hazard intensity and system performance can mask the true vulnerability of the system. To address this gap, this study examines disparities in the fragility of Florida’s power systems across eleven hurricanes from 2017 to 2022. By integrating data from investor-owned, municipal, and rural utilities, this analysis utilizes a multi-event framework to measure system robustness against wind intensity, explore socioeconomic disparities, and identify Spatially Disadvantaged Communities (SDCs). We analyzed twenty-five socioeconomic variables, revealing significant disparities, particularly among racial/ethnic and low-income categories. The power system serving vulnerable populations—including American Indian and low-income communities—consistently exhibits lower robustness, with further disparities among those lacking health insurance and educational attainment. These inequities are evident across all utility provider types but are most pronounced among rural customers, indicating compounding systemic vulnerability. We identified 52 counties as SDCs, with rural inland counties facing the highest structural disadvantages compared to more robust coastal areas. These findings provide critical, objective metrics to support equity-oriented energy planning and disaster preparedness. Specifically, the identification of SDCs offers a data-driven basis for prioritizing infrastructure investments under federal programs such as FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. • Disparities in System Outage Fragility (SOF) are revealed across 11 hurricanes in Florida. • Rural utilities show the greatest SOF disparities across vulnerable communities. • American Indian communities face the highest energy fragility burdens. • 52 Spatially Disadvantaged Communities (SDCs) identified using SOF metrics. • High-impact disparities found in 12+ socioeconomic variables, including poverty

Disadvantaged · Fragility · Hazard · Socioeconomic status · Infrastructure Resilience and Vulnerability Analysis · Optimal Power Flow Distribution · Power System Reliability and Maintenance

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