Smart Grid Projects Andrew Bui

Discussion Topics Goal Problem(s) Solution Conclusion

Goal The goals of the Smart Grid are to allow increased energy sources, more power to demand, and to support market driven by consumers. Enhanced efficiency and reliability are also key goals of the Smart Grid

Goal (continue) Enhanced efficiency Reliability The Smart Grid will use information technology to facilitate two-way communications among all the components of the grid Reliability a smart grid must have new and highly sophisticated adaptive generation and distribution control algorithms. The current system is a one-way distribution from generation plants through transmission and distribution facilities to consumers (residential, industrial and commercial). Specifically, a "smart" grid must be capable of providing power from multiple sources, from wind turbines, concentrating solar power systems, photovoltaic panels . It must be capable of storing electric power for later use, e.g., in batteries, flywheels or super-capacitors or again even in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Last but not least, to improve power reliability

Goal (continue) Smart Grid Legislation December, 2007, the U.S. Congress passed, and the President signed, the Energy Independence and Security Act DOE develop a smart grid research and development program. State regulators consider requiring and funding smart grid investments

Goal (continue) Smart Grid Components: Intelligent appliances Smart power meters (automatic billing data collection) Smart substations ( transformer, breaker) Smart distribution (superconducting long distance cable) Smart generation (auto Maintain voltage, power) While still new enough to lack a universally agreed upon definition, some typical components of a smart grid include: Intelligent appliances capable of deciding when to consume power based on pre-set customer preferences. This can go a long way toward reducing peak loads which has a major impact on electricity generation costs - alleviating the need for new power plants and cutting down on damaging greenhouse emissions. Early tests with smart grids have shown that consumers can save up to 25% on their energy usage by simply providing them with information on that usage and the tools to manage it. Smart power meters featuring two-way communications between consumers and power providers to automate billing data collection, detect outages and dispatch repair crews to the correct location faster. Smart substations that include monitoring and control of critical and non-critical operational data such as power factor performance, breaker, transformer and battery status, security, etc. Smart distribution that is self-healing, self-balancing and self-optimizing including superconducting cables for long distance transmission, and automated monitoring and analysis tools capable of detecting or even predicting cable and failures based on real-time data about weather, outage history, etc. Smart generation capable of "learning" the unique behavior of power generation resources to optimize energy production, and to automatically maintain voltage, frequency and power factor standards based on feedback from multiple points in the grid. Universal access to affordable, low-carbon electrical power generation (e.g., wind turbines, concentrating solar power systems, photovoltaic panels) and storage (e.g., in batteries, flywheels or super-capacitors or in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles).

Goal (continue) Smart Grid Technologies Integrated Communications ( electronic devices) Sensing and Measurement .(auto meter reading) Advanced Components (microgrids, superconductivity) Advanced Control Methods (devices and software algorithm that predict grid condition) For DOE's Modern Grid Strategy, the specific technologies of the smart grid are grouped into the following five areas: Integrated Communications include data acquisition, protection, and control, and enable users to interact with intelligent electronic devices in an integrated system. Sensing and Measurement technologies support acquiring data to evaluate the health and integrity of the grid and support automatic meter reading, elimination of billing estimates, and prevent energy theft. Advanced Components are used to determine the electrical behavior of the grid and can be applied in either standalone applications or connected together to create complex systems such as microgrids. The success, availability, and affordability of these components will be based on fundamental research and development (R&D) gains in power electronics, superconductivity, materials, chemistry, and microelectronics. Advanced Control Methods are the devices and algorithms that will analyze, diagnose, and predict grid conditions and autonomously take appropriate corrective actions to eliminate, mitigate, and prevent outages and power quality disturbances. Improved Interfaces and Decision Support convert complex power-system data into information that can be easily understood by grid operators.

Goal (continue) Smart Grid Benefit Self-Healing ( auto detect routine , and recovery) Resist Attack( security) Build less new infrastructure "plug-and-play" interconnection to multiple and distributed sources. (e.g., wind, solar, battery storage, etc.) The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) states that the "Modern Grid" will have seven key benefits for consumers, business, utilities and the Nation: Self-Healing A smart grid automatically detects and responds to routine problems and quickly recovers if they occur, minimizing downtime and financial loss. Motivates and Includes the Consumer A smart grid gives all consumers - industrial, commercial, and residential - visibility into real-time pricing, and affords them the opportunity to choose the volume of consumption and price that best suits their needs. Resists Attack A smart grid has security built-in from the ground up. Provides Power Quality for 21st Century Needs A smart grid provides power free of sags, spikes, disturbances and interruptions. It is suitable for use by the data centers, computers, electronics and robotic manufacturing that will power our future economy. Accomodates All Generation and Storage Options A smart grid enables "plug-and-play" interconnection to multiple and distributed sources of power and storage (e.g., wind, solar, battery storage, etc.) Enables Markets By providing consistently dependable coast-to-coast operation, a smart grid supports energy markets that encourage both investment and innovation. Optimizes Assets and Operates Efficiently A smart grid enables us to build less new infrastructure, transmit more power through existing systems, and thereby spend less to operate and maintain the grid.

Image Courtesy: North American Synchrophasor Initiative (NASPI)

Synchrophasors Measures the electrical waves on an electricity grid to determine the health of the system Measured using Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) Image Courtesy: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

Phasor Network consists of: Phasor measurement units (PMUs) Phasor Data Concentrators (PDCs) Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) System PMUs deliver 10–30 reports per second GPS time stamping provides the necessary ±500ns accuracy.

Phasor Measurement Unit Block Diagram (R.F. Nuqui, “State Estimation and Voltage Security Monitoring Using Synchronized Phasor Measurements”, Doctorate Dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA, July 2, 2001.)

Problem Attacks on Synchrophasor Measurements Network attack on the communication to data concentrator Locally change analog input to distort phasor measurement Locally jam and/or falsify GPS signals to modify synchronicity of measurements Problem

Problem Attacks on Synchrophasor Measurements Network attack on the communication to data concentrator Locally change analog input to distort phasor measurement Locally jam and/or falsify GPS signals to modify synchronicity of measurements Resulting corrections can destabilize grids causing massive blackouts

Simulations Clearly experiments cannot be carried out on actual grids Must rely on simulations to determine extent of damage as well as measures for prevention, detection and recovery To gauge effect on real equipment, simulations must be real-time, and allow for hardware-in-the-loop

RTDS Real Time Digital Simulation for power industry By RTDS Technologies Inc., Winnipeg, Canada Uses theoretical manipulation, dedicated parallel high speed processing and signal communication to achieve real time constraints

Computation Uses Dommel algorithm to separate the computation into Network Solution and Component Solution All component computations are performed in parallel, and forwarded to the network solution processor Limits number of nodes that can be handled

RTDS Offers Hard real-time simulation required for hardware-in-the-loop testing Ability to exchange large amounts of data via extensive IO capabilities Ability to undertake batch simulations Ability to interface multiple devices simultaneously

Application Two ways to use RTDS in simulating attacks on PMUs: Interface single/multiple external PMUs, to tie in to a wide area grid simulated in the software, perhaps along with other control hardware, then attack the PMUs Simulate PMUs along with the grid inside the software, which take in external GPS signals, and modify these external signals

Application Two ways to use RTDS in simulating attacks on PMUs: (1) Interface single/multiple external PMUs, to tie in to a wide area grid simulated in the software, perhaps along with other control hardware, then attack the PMUs Can be handled by current RTDS equipment Requires PMUs, and hardware necessary to falsify GPS signals

Application Two ways to use RTDS in simulating attacks on PMUs: (2) Simulate PMUs along with the grid inside the software, which take in external GPS signals, and modify these external signals Less hardware required, notably PMUs which are expensive The IO card needed for interfacing GPS signals is still under development by RTDS

Physical Attacks How to avoid paying electric bill? Hack the internal code Connect the input and output of the meter Smart Meter Malicious code Smart Meter

Conclusion Phasor Measurement Units are already in place in anticipation of Smart Grids Security of these units is essential and often overlooked or assumed Several different attacks are possible Real-time, HIL simulation needs to be undertaken to gauge the effects of attacks and devise countermeasures