An Assessment of PIER Electric Grid Research 2003-2014 White Paper

This white paper describes the circumstances in California around the turn of the 21st century that led the California Energy Commission (CEC) to direct additional Public Interest Energy Research funds to address critical electric grid issues, especially those arising from integrating high penetrations of variable renewable generation with the electric grid. It contains an assessment of the beneficial science and technology advances of the resultant portfolio of electric grid research projects administered under the direction of the CEC by a competitively selected contractor, the University of California’s California Institute for Energy and the Environment, from 2003-2014

The Use of System in the Loop, Hardware in the Loop, and Co-modeling of Cyber-Physical Systems in Developing and Evaluating New Smart Grid Solutions

This paper deals with two issues: development of some advanced smart grid applications, and implementation of advanced testbeds to evaluate these applications. In each of the development cases, the role of the testbeds is explained and evaluation results are presented. The applications cover the synchrophasor systems, interfacing of microgrids to the main grid, and cybersecurity solutions. The paper hypothesizes that the use of the advanced testbeds is beneficial for the development process since the solution product-to-market cycle may be shortened due to early real-life demonstrations. In addition, solution users’ feedback to the testbed demonstration can be incorporated at an early stage when making the changes is not as costly as doing it at more mature development stages

Aggregating DERs VAR Capability Curve to Support the Grid in an Integrated T-D System

The multitudes of inverter-based distributed energy resources (DERs) can be envisioned as geographically distributed reactive power (var) devices (mini-SVCs) that can offer enhanced var flexibility to a future grid as an ancillary service. To facilitate this vision, a systematic methodology is proposed to construct an aggregated var capability curve of a distribution system with DERs at the substation level, analogous to a conventional bulk generator. Since such capability curve will be contingent to the operating conditions and network constraints, an optimal power flow (OPF) based approach is proposed that takes curtailment flexibility, unbalanced nature of system and coupling with grid side voltage into account along with changing operating conditions. Further, the influence of several other factors such as revised integration standard 1547 on the capability curve is thoroughly investigated on an IEEE 37 bus distribution test system. Finally, a T-D cosimulation is employed to demonstrate how DER aggregated flexibility can potentially enhance the decision domain for the transmission grid leading to improved performance

Survey on synchrophasor data quality and cybersecurity challenges, and evaluation of their interdependencies

Synchrophasor devices guarantee situation awareness for real-time monitoring and operational visibility of smart grid. With their widespread implementation, significant challenges have emerged, especially in communication, data quality and cybersecurity. The existing literature treats these challenges as separate problems, when in reality, they have a complex interplay. This paper conducts a comprehensive review of quality and cybersecurity challenges for synchrophasors, and identifies the interdependencies between them. It also summarizes different methods used to evaluate the dependency and surveys how quality checking methods can be used to detect potential cyberattacks. This paper serves as a starting point for researchers entering the fields of synchrophasor data analytics and security

Enhanced power system resiliency to high-impact, low-frequency events with emphasis on geomagnetic disturbances

Various reliability procedures have been developed to protect the power systems against common reliability issues that threaten the grid frequently. However, these procedures are unlikely to be sufficient for high-impact low-frequency (HILF) events. This thesis proposes several techniques to enhance resiliency with respect to HILF events. In particular, we focus on cyber-physical attacks and geomagnetic disturbances (GMDs). Corrective control through generation redispatch is proposed to protect the system from cyber-physical attacks. A modification of the optimal power flow (OPF) is proposed which optimizes the system resiliency instead of the generation cost. For larger systems, the burden of solving the resilience-oriented OPF is reduced through a fast greedy algorithm which utilizes proper heuristics to narrow the search space. Moreover, an effective line switching algorithm is developed to minimize the GMD impact for large-scale power systems. The algorithm uses linear sensitivity analysis to find the best switching strategy and minimizes the GIC-saturated reactive power loss. The resiliency may be improved through power system monitoring and situational awareness. Power system data is growing rapidly with the everyday installation of different types of sensors throughout the network. In this thesis, various data analytics tools are proposed to effectively employ the sensor data for enhancing resiliency. In particular, we focus on the application of real data analysis to improve the GMD models. We identify common challenges in dealing with real data and develop effective tools to tackle them. A frequent issue with model validation is that for a real system, the parameters of the model to be validated may be inaccurate or even unavailable. To handle this, two approaches are proposed. The first approach is to develop a validation framework which is independent of the model parameters and completely relies on the measurements. Although this technique successfully handles the system uncertainties and offers a robust validation tool, it does not provide the ability to utilize the available network parameters. Sometimes, the network parameters are partially available with some degree of accuracy and it is desired to take advantage of this additional information. The second validation framework provides this capability by first modifying the model to account for the missing or inaccurate parameters. Then a suitable validation framework is built upon that model. Another common issue that is widely encountered in data analysis techniques is incomplete data when part of the required data is missing or is invalid. Examples of missing data are provided through real case studies, and advanced imputation tools are developed to handle them

Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift: The Risks of Net Neutrality Repeal to Energy Reliability, Public Safety, and Climate Change Solutions

This Article contends that the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) January 2018 repeal of net neutrality rules created a “zero-day” cybersecurity vulnerability for the energy sector and other criti¬¬¬cal infrastructure. “A zero-day cybersecurity vulnerability is a previously unknown flaw in a computer program that exposes the program to external manipulation.” The flaw may also reside in compromised hardware that creates a “back door” into the internet-connected device. This Article argues that cybersecurity has been primarily viewed from a “hacker paradigm” that obscures systemic threats an Internet Service Provider (ISP) can create to energy reliability and cybersecurity through paid priority and other ISP practices… This Article contends that federal regulators, responsible entities under the FPA, and state energy sector regulators must act to identify and mitigate risks triggered by the FCC’s repeal of net neutrality rules. The energy sector’s state and federal legal duties do not allow it to rely on the market and unenforceable ISP promises to protect reliability, cybersecurity, and public safety. An open and neutral internet—the goal of net neutrality—is necessary to protect energy reliability crucial to America’s economy, public safety, national security, and deployment of climate change solutions. Following this introduction, section two of this Article discusses the ISP’s gatekeeper position on the internet and introduces the “hacker paradigm” and “cat video paradigm” that pervade internet and cybersecurity regulation. Section three provides an overview of federal energy sector reliability standards, highlighting the states’ role in energy reliability for the distribution segment of the energy grid. Section four discusses models for energy sector and critical infrastructure cybersecurity governance. Section five provides an overview of mandatory federal cybersecurity standards for the energy sector’s BPS. Section six explores the “hacker-focused” paradigm of many cybersecurity standards including the NERC standards FERC enforces for the energy sector. Section seven examines the Energy-Internet nexus, emphasizing the internet’s increasing integration into the energy sector. Section eight discusses simulations that test the electric grid for communications-induced faults and cascading failures. Section nine analyzes the consequences of FERC’s net neutrality repeal on energy sector reliability, cybersecurity, renewable energy deployment, and public safety. Finally, section ten recommends that FERC and state public utility commissions conduct grid simulations to test the effect of ISP-induced communications delays on grid reliability and renewable integration. It recommends that state energy regulators initiate proceedings to examine cybersecurity requirements for distribution-level energy resources. Those proceedings should request data from energy sector jurisdictional entities about ISP contracts and conduct, and then consider whether to limit contracts with such entities to ISPs that observe net neutrality. FERC should examine net neutrality repeal as a cybersecurity, reliability and resiliency risk in its Grid Resiliency and Reliability docket. Federal and state law require energy sector participants and regulators to ensure ISPs do not degrade Energy-Internet traffic or violate market manipulation rules and thereby compromise reliability, public safety, just and reasonable rates, the environment, and realization of climate change solutions

Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift, The RIsk of Net Neutrality Repeal to Energy Reliability, PUblic Safety, and Climate Change Solutions

This Article contends that the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) January 2018 repeal of net neutrality rules creates cybersecurity vulnerabilities for the energy sector and other critical infrastructure. Unbridled from enforceable net neutrality rules, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) create systemic supply chain risks as the Internet has become embedded into the energy sector’s distributed ecosystem. This Article argues that cybersecurity has been primarily viewed from a “hacker paradigm” that obscures systemic threats such as those posed by an ISP since firewalls and traditional cybersecurity techniques do not protect against ISP conduct. The Article contends that the FCC’s failure to consider the consequences of net neutrality repeal on public safety and critical infrastructure facilities and services constitutes arbitrary and capricious decision-making under the Administrative Procedures Act. The Article recommends that the D.C. Circuit vacate the FCC’s net neutrality repeal order and remand it to the FCC for analysis of cybersecurity, critical infrastructure protection, and public safety issues. To protect energy reliability, safety, resiliency, renewable integration, just and reasonable rates, and the environment, this article recommends that regulators and energy grid laboratories test the effect of ISP-induced communications delays on electric reliability, safety, and distributed energy generation. This article urges regulators, energy operators, and academics to address ISP and FCC-induced energy-sector cybersecurity risks