Balances in strategic planning of the spatial infrastructure systems

The quality and efficiency of strategic planning substantially depends on incorporation of the principle of balance, especially when dealing with spatial infrastructure systems. However, there is no unity in defining and measuring the parameters of such balance at present. The paper is going to improve the theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of balance in the strategic planning of spatial infrastructure systems. Theoretical provisions of strategic planning, system analysis, regional and spatial economics constitute the methodological basis of the study. The study applies the methods of content analysis, average values. As a result of the study, the authors formulate the concept of balance in strategic planning of spatial infrastructure systems, and its qualitative and quantitative parameters, which determine the conditions for the balance of various types, including target, inter-period, planned, and inter-level balances. The paper reveals the imbalances in strategic planning of electric power infrastructure considering the case of Sverdlovsk oblast. In particular, the findings indicate the lack of continuity and time coordination between planning processes, absence of a unified methodology for designing development programmes, insufficient inter-level coordination of the planning process within regions having spatial connections, imbalances in forecast and planning documents according to the parameter of electricity consumption. To improve the process of strategic planning of spatialinfrastructure systems, the researchers suggest constructing mechanisms of interaction between electricity agents, consumers and government authorities in the course of devising strategies and development programmes; working out a unified methodology of strategic planning; institutionalising the relations between parties involved in planning. The research findings can be useful in the practice of regional governance while designing and updating strategic documents, taking into account the spatial importance of the electric power infrastructure complex.