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Editorial

Dear Reader, welcome to the tenth newsletter of the SDN-microSENSE project, an EU Funded Innovation Project. This edition provides a closer view on the Impact of communication failure on future electricity distribution system operation. We hope you will find the contents of this newsletter interesting, your comments and suggestions are always appreciated.

Impact of communication failure on future electricity distribution system operation. Part 1: Smart Electricity Distribution

The increasing integration of distributed electricity generation and storage (together referred to as distributed energy resources, DER), including electric vehicles and flexible demand, requires significant changes in how distribution systems are planned and operated. The only way to make this transformation feasible is through the introduction of digital monitoring and control capabilities, and by enabling distribution system operators (DSOs) to make use of these capabilities. This series of blog posts discusses the basic principles behind the smart electricity distribution system, provides an overview of resulting security challenges, and hints at the solutions offered in the SDN-microSENSE toolbox.

You can read the rest of the blog post in the project website:
 
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Impact of communication failure on future electricity distribution system operation. Part 2: Threats and Vulnerabilities in Smart Distribution Systems

Both the large-scale integration of DER and the new reliance on pervasive communication and coordinated control introduce new threats and vulnerabilities that need to be mitigated:

  • Communication endpoints providing measurement data must be protected against intrusion by malicious actors. These could attempt to get access to user-specific data (privacy breach), and/or attempt to interrupt data flow or transmit incomplete or otherwise manipulated data.
  • The channels used to transmit, receive, relay, aggregate, or evaluate measurement data must be protected against malicious interference. Again, the threads are privacy breaches as well as missing, incomplete or manipulated data.
  • Manipulated measurement data can interfere with the system operator’s state estimation processes. If the system operator assumes a system state that does not reflect the actual situation, their control signals may drive the system beyond its secure operating ranges (loading, voltage, frequency), leading to physical danger to assets, grid users and operator personnel.
  • When observability of the system state is lost completely in a grid segment, the system operator is no longer able to send the appropriate control signals to maintain safe operation. DER therefore need safe fallback modes and limits within which they are allowed to operate when no communication channel is available.
You can read the rest of the blog post in the project website:
 
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Impact of communication failure on future electricity distribution system operation. Part 3: Distribution-Level Impact of Communication Failure

The potential impact of a cyberattack on a smart electricity distribution system can be illustrated in a simple example. Let us assume simple 4-bus low voltage distribution system including two loads and two solar photovoltaics (PV) generators.

We make two further assumptions:

  • Both PV units are not only intended to supply energy to their corresponding loads, but are meant to feed excess energy into the grid. They have been installed with sufficient power capacity that the current loading of the transformer will exceed its permitted upper limit if the total consumer load drops to zero around noon on a sunny day, when the PV units generate power at their maximum capacity.
  • The system operator uses Smart Grid technology to monitor and (if necessary) control the DER in this distribution system. It would temporarily limit the permissible power output of the PV units in the described situation to avoid the transformer overloading.
You can read the rest of the blog post in the project website:
 
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About SDN-microSENSE

SDN-microSENSE has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 833955. The information contained in this newsletter reflects only the authors’ view. EC is not responsible for any use that may be made of this information. SDN-microSENSE website
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