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At least 73 records · Page 4

Cyber-Physical Security and Resiliency Analysis Testbed for Critical Microgrids with IEEE 2030.5: Preprint

IEEE 2030.5, also known as the Common Smart Inverter Standard (CSIP) is a protocol that specifies the interface between the end user and the smart grid. This standard was proposed recently, and provides many functions which if implemented incorrectly might lead to vulnerabilities. This paper proposes a cyber-physical microgrid testbed using OpenDSS and IEEE 2030.5 that can be used to study the performance of the CSIP protocol various scenarios. For critical microgrid installations, it is essential that the critical loads are served in spite of multiple contingencies. A resiliency analysis is performed for a military microgrid to study its performance and the results are analyzed.

CVSS↗

Technical Bulletin 005: NTP Monitoring

The Center for Alternative Synchronization and Timing (CAST) views Precision Time Protocol (PTP) and Network Time Protocol (NTP) as critical elements of the grid, from generation to the grid edge. This tech bulletin discusses the operation of NTP. The document shows not only commercial but also open-source applications. In some cases, the commercial applications may already have existing feature sets to secure and monitor NTP streams. From a security standpoint, using subscription NTP is risky unless the open bidirectional ports on local firewalls and routers are properly monitored and controlled.

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Controller Hardware-in-the-Loop Evaluation of a Microgrid Controller for a Microgrid System with Multiple Grid-Forming Inverters: Preprint

This paper presents the laboratory evaluation of a commercial Microgrid Management System (MGMS) implemented in the real-world Bronzeville Microgrid which features a futuristic scenario with high renewable energy integration and the use of multiple Grid-Forming (GFM) inverters. The primary objective of the performance evaluation for the MGMS is to assess the MGMS's capability to dispatch GFM units, including a GFM PV unit and two GFM battery units, to maintain the system stability and ensure economic operation, thus guaranteeing the microgrid's resilience during prolonged outages and dynamic events. The laboratory controller hardware-in-the-loop provides realistic testing environment through detailed electromagnetic transient modeling of the microgrid system, hardware MGMS, and standard communication protocols (DNP3). The CHIL evaluation shows how the MGMS effectively manages the GFM inverters, highlighting its performance in maintaining stability, reliability, and survivability in a microgrid environment with a high penetration of renewable energy sources.

controller hardware-in-the-loop↗

Supporting Cyber Security of Power Distribution Systems by Detecting Differences Between Real-time Micro-Synchrophasor Measurements and Cyber-Reported SCADA (Final Report)

As modern power grids tend towards greater levels of automation and communication, the challenges of identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities to cyber-attacks are ones that are increasingly demanding attention. Today’s power system has evolved to form the foundational bedrock of modern society, and an attack on this infrastructure could prove disastrous. In this project we were tasked to investigate the use of distribution synchrophasors as an independent isolated sensor network with which we can corroborate, or flag potentially spoofed,Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) data. We adapted an approach to marry the underlying physical properties of power systems with the network communications used by power systems in order to offer insights unattainable by either data stream isolation. While the concept of intrusion detection systems (IDS) is well understood for monitoring network traffic and traditional IT computing systems, the approach discussed in this report is motivated by several key notions: first, current SCADA communications alone presents an incomplete view of the grid. Second, the power grid, and the equipment controlling it, is grounded by laws of physics. Given this, we leverage high-frequency physical grid measurements to understand the physical condition of the grid, and combine this with SCADA. While high-frequency physical grid measurements and SCADA communication over Internet Protocol (IP) networks are fundamentally disparate information sources, when collectively examined through appropriate lenses, they offer a much more nuanced depiction of the grid.

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Role of Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs) in Energizing Remote Generating Stations

The increasing integration of Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs) into the system has brought significant focus on their role in blackstart and restoration procedures. Their advantageous features, such as low startup power requirements, operational flexibility across a wide range of power factors, rapid controllability, and the ability to energize a network at lower voltage levels necessitate a reassessment of existing restoration protocols. This paper seeks to showcase how IBRs can utilize their grid-forming capabilities to provide power to a remote generating station through detailed EMT simulation studies using data collected from an existing portion of a network.

blackstart procedure↗

Hardware-in-the-Loop Evaluation for Potential High Limit Estimation-Based PV Plant Active Control: Preprint

This paper validates the effectiveness of an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven PV plant control and optimization approach, namely, the Automated Learner for Intermittency Control by Extrapolation (ALICE), in empowering PV plant as a dependable grid reliability service provider. The validation is performed in a realistic laboratory controller-hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL) environment, leveraging accurate PV plant modeling and standard industrial communication protocol. Simulation results, considering both varying weather conditions and active control scenarios, demonstrate the superior performance of ALICE in improving the grid service delivery precision and reducing the over-curtailment compared to a state-of-the-art approach, i.e., reference-control grouping based approach. Such a work could help mitigate risks and provide practical guidance during the field deployment of ALICE, while establishing a standardized testing framework for evaluating various PV active control strategies.

hardware-in-the-loop↗

Hardware-in-the-Loop Evaluation for Potential High Limit Estimation-Based PV Plant Active Control

This paper validates the efficacy of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based photovoltaic (PV) plant control and optimization approach in enabling PV plants as accountable grid reliability service providers. The validation is performed in a realistic laboratory controller-hardware-in-the-loop environment, leveraging accurate PV plant modeling and standard industrial communication protocols. Through simulations that account for diverse weather conditions and active control scenarios, the results highlight the superior performance of the AI-based solution in comparison to a state-of-the-art reference-control grouping-based approach. Such a finding contributes to mitigating the risk of overcurtailment and uninstructed deviations of active PV plant controls, and offers practical guidance for its field deployment. Furthermore, it establishes a standardized testing framework for comparing various PV active control strategies.

hardware-in-the-loop↗

EVSE Cybersecurity and Resilience

Consequence-driven Cybersecurity Analysis for Extreme Fast Charging Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Electric vehicle (EV) development and associated charging infrastructure are expected to advance rapidly. Thirty percent of all global vehicle sales may be EVs and hybrid EVs by 2025, and they will rely on increasingly sophisticated strategies for grid integration. Next-generation EV charging infrastructure is expected to include interconnected renewable resources, such as photovoltaic (PV) arrays and battery storage systems, along with grid-edge devices. Although distributed energy resources (DERs) are useful in several ways, such as peak shaving at high demand times and backup supply for added resilience, the integration of vehicle charging and DERs could create more avenues for cyberattack. Physical and/or remote access to EV charging station components, including charge ports, power electronics, controllers, and local generation (e.g., PV and energy storage) could be paths to cause power fluctuations, leading to altered operations at the charging station, escalated privileges to administrative systems, exfiltration of financial information (including personally identifiable information), and reduced grid stability. One compromised EV supply equipment component can open the door to a variety of exploitable vulnerabilities. Cloud computing and mobile application control have the potential to expand the threat surface to non-repudiation and firmware integrity challenges. Vendor clouds have access to hundreds of chargers, and if compromised, can scale the attack surface exponentially. The high power and voltage levels of xFC infrastructure (e.g., 400 kW at 1000- V DC) increase the hazards and ability to impact the grid and vehicles more than lower-power charging systems. Legacy communications systems and protocols could also put EV infrastructure at risk of cyberattacks requiring a robust patch management process. Communications networks link EVs and chargers to several stakeholders - including charging station operators, grid operators, vendors/manufacturers, and aggregators - who have both physical and network access to share information for control, monitoring, and analytics. Information in these networks that is vulnerable to compromise includes the state of charge, charging duration, payment information, electricity price, and load control. Analyzing and prioritizing these interconnections risks could help address cybersecurity related to data leakage and manipulation.

charging↗

Cybersecurity for Fast Charging EV Infrastructure

The integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into electric grid operations can potentially leave the grid vulnerable to cyberattacks from both legacy and new equipment and protocols, including extreme fast-charging infrastructure. This paper introduces a co-simulation platform to perform cyber vulnerability analysis of EV charging infrastructure and its dependencies on communications and control systems. Grid impact scenarios through linkages to power system simulation tools such as OpenDSS and vehicle infrastructure-specific attack paths are discussed. An adaptive platform that assists with predicting and solving evolving cybersecurity challenges is demonstrated with a cyber-energy emulation that accelerates the analysis of cyberattacks and system behavior.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS,POWER TRANSMISSION AND↗

Performance Evaluation of Data-Enhanced Hierarchical Control for Grid Operations

This paper presents a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation to evaluate the performance of voltage regulation of Data-Enhanced Hierarchical Control (DEHC). This DEHC uses an advanced distribution management system (ADMS) for grid operations to control legacy and grid-edge devices and coordinate with distributed energy management systems (DERMS) to manage high penetrations of photovoltaics (PV) on a utility distribution system. The HIL platform provides realistic laboratory testing, including accurate modeling (legacy devices, grid-edge devices, and PV) of the real-world distribution system from a utility partner, a real controller (ADMS), software controller DERMS, hardware grid-edge devices, and standard communications protocols. The test results demonstrate functionalities of the integrated platform and the performance of voltage regulation of the coordinated control systems. Based on laboratory testing, the utility can set up the same grid-automation system to manage DERs, legacy devices, and grid-edge devices to achieve their system-level control and operation objectives (e.g., voltage regulation), thus de-risking potential issues such as instability for field deployment.

41 EE - Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)↗

Performance Evaluation of Hierarchical Controls for Advanced Distribution Management System-Centered Grid Operations: Preprint

This paper presents a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) platform to evaluate the performance of voltage regulation using an advanced distribution management system (ADMS) for grid operations to control legacy and grid-edge voltage control devices and coordinate with distributed energy management systems (DERMS) to manage high penetrations of photovoltaics (PV) on a utility distribution system. The HIL platform provides realistic laboratory testing, including accurate modeling (legacy devices, grid-edge devices, and PV) of the real-world distribution system from a utility partner, a real controller (ADMS), software controller DERMS, hardware grid-edge devices, and standard communications protocols. The test results show proper functionalities of the integrated platform and the performance of voltage regulation of the coordinated control systems. Based on laboratory testing, the utility can set up the same grid-automation system to manage DERs, legacy devices, and grid-edge devices to achieve their system-level control and operation objectives (e.g., voltage regulation), thus de-risking potential issues (e.g., instability) for field deployment.

ADMS↗

Voltage Regulation Performance Evaluation of Distributed Energy Resource Management via Advanced Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation

This paper evaluates the performance of coordinated control across advanced distribution management systems (ADMS), distributed energy resources (DERs), and distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS) using an advanced hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) platform. This platform provides a realistic laboratory testing environment, including accurate dynamic modeling of a real-world distribution system from a utility partner, real controllers (ADMS and DERMS), physical power hardware (DERs), and standard communications protocols. One grid service—voltage regulation—is evaluated to show the performance of the coordinated grid automation system. The testing results demonstrate that the coordinated DERMS and ADMS system can effectively regulate system voltages within target operation limits using DERs. The realistic laboratory HIL testing results give utilities confidence in adopting the grid automation systems to manage DERs to achieve system-level control and operation objectives (e.g., voltage regulation). This helps utilities mitigate potential risks (e.g., instability) prior to field deployment.

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Performance Evaluation of Distributed Energy Resources Management System via Advanced Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation: Preprint

This paper presents an advanced hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) platform to evaluate the performance of voltage regulation coordinated across advanced distribution management systems (ADMS), distributed energy management system (DERMS), and DERs. The HIL platform provides realistic laboratory testing, including accurate modeling of the real-world distribution system from a utility partner, real controller (ADMS and DERMs) and power (DERs) hardware, and standard communications protocols. The test results show proper functionalities of the integrated platform and performance of the peak load management of coordinated control systems. Based on the laboratory testing, the utility can set up the same grid automation system to manage DERs to achieve system-level control and operation objectives (e.g., peak load management), thus derisking potential issues (e.g., instability) for field deployment.

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Open-Source Framework for Data Storage and Visualization of Real-Time Experiments

Digital real time simulators (DRTS) are increasingly being used for the evaluation of power hardware and controller hardware in the laboratory prior to field deployment. Although DRTS are capable of simulating large models in real-time, it is challenging to visualize the results of large models without overdrawing or confounding the viewer. This paper provides an open-source framework for users to visualize their DRTS-based hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experimental results in real-time. This proposed framework can be used by experimental test beds that can push data through an internet protocol based network. The proposed framework includes three main components. First, it includes the DRTS that generates and pushes the data to a relay. Second, it includes an application that serves multiple purposes, from data storage, testing, and translation of the data to a publisher/subscriber protocol. Finally, it includes libraries and applications that can be used to visualize the data by subscribing to the relay. This framework is available in open source, and it is tested using the HIL platform developed for testing advanced distribution management systems.

advanced distribution management systems↗

Distributed Detection of Malicious Attacks on Consensus Algorithms with Applications in Power Networks

Consensus-based distributed algorithms are well suited for coordination among agents in a cyber-physical system. These distributed schemes, however, suffer from their vulnerability to cyber attacks that are aimed at manipulating data and control ow. In this article, we present a novel distributed method for detecting the presence of such intrusions for a distributed multi-agent system following ratio consensus. We employ a Max-Min protocol to develop low cost, easy to implement detection strategies where each participating node detects the intrusion independently, eliminating the need for a trusted certifying agent in the network. The effectiveness of the detection method is demonstrated by numerical simulations on a 1000 node network to demonstrate the efficacy and simplicity of implementation.

27 ARPA - Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy↗

Language-Theoretic Data Analysis to Support ICS Protocol Baselining

Critical infrastructure stakeholders need to baseline their systems to understand expected protocol communications. Baseline behaviors may vary based on operational context. Expected operations during a maintenance window, for example, may be different from normal operations. Furthermore, constructing system baselines for Industrial Control Systems (ICS) is difficult and time-consuming. ICS processes generate artifacts expressed across heterogeneous data sources such as network traffic and device logs. This paper explores the hypothesis that such ICS artifacts form a language in the language-theoretic sense. From a theoretical perspective, the variety of implementations of ICS protocols and constrained environment of OT networks provide a rich application domain for language-theoretic approaches. We present several use cases related to the practical construction of system baselines: grammars for data fusion, language dialects for device fingerprinting, and security automata for system baselining

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Security Enhancements for Distributed Energy Resource Systems Interconnected with Distribution Networks: Final Technical Report

The revised IEEE 1547 Standard defines new complex communication-adjustable voltage and frequency regulation and ride-through characteristics, while maintaining the general antiislanding requirement for unintentional islanding situations. Unintentional islanding is prohibited while intentional islanding is specifically allowed, thus effectively enabling microgrid operation mode. Further, IEEE 1547-2018 Standard introduces new requirements in terms of interoperability so that the DER plant/circuit segments may be seamlessly integrated with the utility networks but at the same time become vulnerable to a cyber-attack. Traditional cybersecurity measures including encryption, authentication and role-based access control may not be fully implementable to all communication protocols specified in the IEEE 1547 Standard. Therefore, in this project we have identified, researched, implemented and tested several cyberphysical approaches that rely mostly on the behavior of the DER circuit and may help with validating the incoming command and control action potentially coming through an insecure communications channel. Additionally, we have built semantic models and communications profiles for DER facilities and have implemented lightweight IEC 61850 based publisher-subscriber GOOSE messaging mechanism, with security extensions in terms of authentication and encryption. The project proposed information models for integration into UCA OpenFMB 2.0 profiles focusing on grid code compliance.

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Studying impacts of communication system performance on dynamic stability of networked microgrid

The development of smart grid technologies has resulted in increased interdependence between power and communication systems. Many of the operations in the existing power system rely on a stable and secured communication system. For electrically weak systems and time‐critical applications, this reliance can be even greater, where a small degradation in communication performance can degrade system stability. However, despite inter‐dependencies between power and communication systems, only a few studies have investigated the impacts of communication system performance on power system dynamics. This study investigates the dependencies of power system dynamics operations on a communication system performance. First, a detailed, dynamic networked microgrid model is developed in the GridLAB‐D simulation environment, along with a representative multi‐traffic, multi‐channel, multi‐protocol communication system model, developed in the network simulator (ns‐3). Second, a hierarchical engine for large‐scale infrastructure co‐simulation framework is developed to co‐simulate microgrid dynamics, its communication system, and a microgrid control system. The impact of communication system delays on the dynamic stability of networked microgrids is evaluated for the loss of generation using three use‐cases. While the example use‐cases examine microgrid applications and the impact to resiliency, the framework can be applied to all levels of power system operations.

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