Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2
Associate Professor, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
During energy emergencies such as large-scale electricity disruptions, natural gas shortages, or sanctions-induced supply constraints, legal and institutional systems face the dual challenge of safeguarding energy security while maintaining the legitimacy, transparency, and fairness required by public law. This study examines the governance of energy emergencies from a public-law and comparative perspective, with particular emphasis on the principle of continuity of public services as a foundation for resilient and accountable energy regulation. Drawing on the doctrines of public service law, regulatory governance, and institutional resilience, the research employs a descriptive–analytical and comparative methodology, analyzing Iran alongside five benchmark jurisdictions—Norway, Japan, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. The findings show that countries operating under codified legal frameworks for energy emergencies—characterized by explicit statutory mandates, functional separation between policymaking, regulation, and operation, and independent regulatory authorities—demonstrate significantly higher levels of resilience, clarity of responsibility, and public accountability. In these systems, emergency powers, transparency obligations, and post-crisis review mechanisms are legally defined, enabling swift yet lawful intervention. In contrast, Iran lacks a dedicated Energy Emergency Law and continues to rely on fragmented executive decrees and overlapping institutional mandates among ministries, state-owned enterprises, and emerging demand-side entities. This fragmentation restricts the state’s ability to manage crises proactively, weakens regulatory legitimacy, and undermines the continuity of essential public services. The study concludes by proposing a rule-based governance framework for emergency energy regulation in Iran, centered on enacting a comprehensive Energy Emergency Law, establishing an independent national regulator, strengthening inter-agency coordination, and embedding energy justice principles into crisis decision-making.
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