19,473 research outputs found

    Attacks, vulnerabilities and security requirements in smart metering networks

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    A smart meter is one of the core components in Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) that is responsible for providing effective control and monitor of electrical energy consumptions. The multifunction tasks that a smart meter carries out such as facilitating two-way communication between utility providers and consumers, managing metering data, delivering anomalies reports, analyzing fault and power quality, simply show that there are huge amount of data exchange in smart metering networks (SMNs). These data are prone to security threats due to high dependability of SMNs on Internet-based communication, which is highly insecure. Therefore, there is a need to identify all possible security threats over this network and propose suitable countermeasures for securing the communication between smart meters and utility provider office. This paper studies the architecture of the smart grid communication networks, focuses on smart metering networks and discusses how such networks can be vulnerable to security attacks. This paper also presents current mechanisms that have been used to secure the smart metering networks from specific type of attacks in SMNs. Moreover, we highlight several open issues related to the security and privacy of SMNs which we anticipate could serve as baseline for future research directions

    Efficient Cooperative Anycasting for AMI Mesh Networks

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    We have, in recent years, witnessed an increased interest towards enabling a Smart Grid which will be a corner stone to build sustainable energy efficient communities. An integral part of the future Smart Grid will be the communications infrastructure which will make real time control of the grid components possible. Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is thought to be a key enabler for monitoring and controlling the customer loads. %RPL is a connectivity enabling mechanism for low power and lossy networks currently being standardized by the IETF ROLL working group. RPL is deemed to be a suitable candidate for AMI networks where the meters are connected to a concentrator over multi hop low power and lossy links. This paper proposes an efficient cooperative anycasting approach for wireless mesh networks with the aim of achieving reduced traffic and increased utilisation of the network resources. The proposed cooperative anycasting has been realised as an enhancement on top of the Routing Protocol for Low Power and Lossy Networks (RPL), a connectivity enabling mechanism in wireless AMI mesh networks. In this protocol, smart meter nodes utilise an anycasting approach to facilitate efficient transport of metering data to the concentrator node. Moreover, it takes advantage of a distributed approach ensuring scalability

    The Integration of Smart Meters into Electrical Grids: Bangladesh Chapter

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    The Smart Metering Technology paves way for increased utilization of green power through Renewable Energy Sources. With the introduction of Smart Metering Technology at Distribution level, the consumer shall have an incentive to switch on their appliances time specific, to have the benefit of choice of low cost power. This paper identifies specific issues that could be developed for Bangladesh’s deployment of Smart Metering Infrastructure, recommends appropriate goals, key strategies, and critical objectives in solving those shortcomings, and outlines a practical program, identifying key tasks and necessary expert capabilities, to accomplish that solution in a timely and affordable manner. Keywords: AMR, AMI, AMM, Power Line Carrier (PLC

    Evaluation of Cybersecurity Threats on Smart Metering System

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    Smart metering has emerged as the next-generation of energy distribution, consumption, and monitoring systems via the convergence of power engineering and information and communication technology (ICT) integration otherwise known as smart grid systems. While the innovation is advancing the future power generation, distribution, consumption monitoring and information delivery, the success of the platform is positively correlated to the thriving integration of technologies upon which the system is built. Nonetheless, the rising trend of cybersecurity attacks on cyber infrastructure and its dependent systems coupled with the system’s inherent vulnerabilities present a source of concern not only to the vendors but also the consumers. These security concerns need to be addressed in order to increase consumer confidence so as to ensure greatest adoption and success of smart metering. In this paper, we present a functional communication architecture of the smart metering system. Following that, we demonstrate and discuss the taxonomy of smart metering common vulnerabilities exposure, upon which sophisticated threats can capitalize. We then introduce countermeasure techniques, whose integration is considered pivotal for achieving security protection against existing and future sophisticated attacks on smart metering systems

    Smart Electric Meter Deployment in Tanzania: A Survey

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    Using information and communication technologies (ICT) to make the electrical power network intelligent and smarter (smart grid) has been the focal point in transforming electrical power industry. The idea behind smart grid is to transform the Tanzanian power sector into a secure, adaptive, sustainable, and digitally enabled ecosystem that provides reliable and quality energy for all with active participation of stakeholders. Smart metering is a central segment in realizing smart grid. However, a big question is whether Tanzanian power stakeholders are ready for smart metering technology investments for household applications. Operation and maintenance of a smart metering solution is a relatively new business in Tanzania and requires investment in resources and capacity building. A case study was conducted at the utility company in Dar es Salaam offices, to investigate the deployment status and services offered. Fixed tariff rates, high cost, low rates on returns of investment and non-customization of the features, were some of the shortcomings identified by the study in terms of non-deployment in residential homes. Further, the authors, propose development of standardization document for smart metering technologies and the adoption of software based smart meter for residential applications using Internet of Things platform. Its low cost of development and ease installation would be ideal for residential applications. Keywords:  Smart grid, Utility Company, Smart meter, Advanced Metering Infrastructure, Deployment Status

    Smart metering infrastructure for distribution network operation

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    With the increasing demand for energy throughout the world and the associated environmental problems, the development of a highly efficient and environmentally friendly Smart Grid has become an important objective worldwide. In Great Britain, the Smart Grid has been primarily focused on the distribution networks and smart metering is widely considered as a critical step towards the Smart Grid future. Conventionally, the communications infrastructure at the distribution level is very limited in terms of functionality and availability. There was very limited work to evaluate the impact of the communications performance of smart metering infrastructure on distribution network operation. This research investigated the impact of smart metering applications on communications requirements and the impact of the communications performance of smart metering infrastructure on distribution network operation. A smart metering communications infrastructure was modelled and simulated using OPNET. The impact of smart metering applications on smart metering communications requirements has been investigated. It is shown that individual communications requirements for smart meters are not particularly communications intensive and that infrequent large transactions posed the most significant challenges on the communications infrastructure. As the link speed decreased, large time delays were observed which have direct impact on the functions related to distribution network operations. An evaluation method was then developed to quantify the impact of smart metering communications infrastructure on distribution network operation. The main characteristics of the smart metering communications infrastructure were modelled. The characteristics of load variation were analysed and used to quantify the relationship between the time delay and the measurement error of the power system. The measured data from smart meters was refined to be used by the distribution network operational functions using state estimation and the impact was quantified using optimal power flow. Results show that fast data access is necessary for smart meter data to be used by the voltage control and the power control functions of a distribution network. The potential of using smart metering for outage management was investigated. A topology analysis method was developed which maps the physical plant model of a distribution network to a simplified analytical model. An outage area identification algorithm was developed which uses the information from smart meters and is based on the simplified network model. The outage area identification can act as one of the main functions of an outage management system providing possible outage extent information. The impact of smart meter communications on the outage area identification algorithm was investigated based on the OPNET communications model. Test results showed that smart metering has a potential to support outage management of a power distribution network. Test results showed that the arrival criterion and the smart metering communications infrastructure have a large impact on the performance of the outage area identification

    Using multi-criteria decision-making for selecting a smart metering infrastructure

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    In this research a methodology based on multi-criteria decision analysis for the evaluation and selection of infrastructure energy smart metering in the Colombian context is presented. The selection process of these measurement infrastructures covers additional technical and financial criteria, becoming a complex problem. The methodology used in this work is the technique called Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) that considers seven assessment criteria (Technology, Finance, Environmental, Regulatory, Political, Infrastructure and SocioCultural). Of these assessment criteria, emerge 25 sub-criteria, which are integrated in a hierarchical structure to evaluate three energy smart metering alternatives. Nine experts were consulted to obtain the results. The results show the versatility of AHP method for making complex decisions with respect to the implementation of energy smart metering infrastructure, and provide a useful guide for assessing Smart Grid projects through multi-criteria analysis.In this research a methodology based on multi-criteria decision analysis for the evaluation and selection of infrastructure energy smart metering in the Colombian context is presented. The selection process of these measurement infrastructures covers additional technical and financial criteria, becoming a complex problem. The methodology used in this work is the technique called Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) that considers seven assessment criteria (Technology, Finance, Environmental, Regulatory, Political, Infrastructure and SocioCultural). Of these assessment criteria, emerge 25 sub-criteria, which are integrated in a hierarchical structure to evaluate three energy smart metering alternatives. Nine experts were consulted to obtain the results. The results show the versatility of AHP method for making complex decisions with respect to the implementation of energy smart metering infrastructure, and provide a useful guide for assessing Smart Grid projects through multi-criteria analysi
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