This paper makes a comprehensive survey on power system blackout modeling and analysis based on SOC (self-organized criticality). Firstly,a generalized SOC theory from the viewpoint of cybernetics is introduced. Then the evolution model of power system and its relative mathematical description,which serves as a concrete example of the proposed generalized SOC,are given. Secondly,five blackout models capturing various critical properties of power systems in different time-scales are listed. Finally,this paper analyzes SOC in power systems,such as,the revelation of criticalities of proposed models in both micro-scale and macro-scale which can be used to assess the security of power system,and cas-cading failures process. Here, the evolution of the power system and its relative mathematical description which serves as a concrete example of the proposed generalized SOC, are given. Second, five blackout models capturing various critical properties of power systems in different time-scales are listed. Finally, this paper analyzes SOC in power systems, such as as, the revelation of criticalities of proposed models in both micro-scale and macro-scale which can be used to assess the security of power system, and cas-cading failures process.