Abstract We propose a new concept suitable for performing static state estimation in large scale electric power systems. It consists in decomposing the over-all system into sub-systems and in carrying out a two-level calculation. In a lower hierarchical level, a standard state estimation is at first performed in parallel for all sub-systems and independently from each other. A coordination of these local estimations is then realized at the second (upper) hierarchical level which, by this means, receives and treats only a small number of variables. It may therefore obey various requirements, such as goegraphical, economical, etc. The advantages of this hierarchical procedure over the standard “integrated” one are drawn in the Conclusions.