A survey on consumers empowerment, communication technologies, and renewable generation penetration within Smart Grid

The traditional power grid is considered no longer viable because it is old, overstretched, unreliable hence the reason for the transformation into the smart grid (SG). The Future SG will have monitoring, automation and communication capabilities which is the main focus of this paper. The SG can also provide two-way communication, real-time pricing and demand-side management. It will have self-healing capability in the case of any fault in the system, unlike the conventional power grid. Furthermore, the SG will have renewable energy resources (RER), advanced metering infrastructure(AMI), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) as the essential blocks of SG. The reliability of the SG can be guaranteed by intelligent monitoring and control system with robust information and communication technology. This paper provides a survey of the SG system, a basic overview of the SG, a summary of the various types of communication technologies that can be used in the SG, the requirements for smart grid communication in other to have an effective and efficient communication system and finally, the future trends of SG communication.

A reliable and resilient communication infrastructure that can cope with variable application traffic types and delay objectives is one of the prerequisites that differentiates a Smart Grid from the conventional electrical grid. However, the legacy communication infrastructure in the existing electrical grid is insufficient, if not incapable of satisfying the diverse communication requirements of the Smart Grid. The IEEE 802.11 ad hoc Wireless Mesh Network (WMN) is re-emerging as one of the communication networks that can significantly extend the reach of Smart Grid to backend devices through the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). However, the unique characteristics of AMI application traffic in the Smart Grid poses some interesting challenges to conventional communication networks including the ad hoc WMN. Hence, there is a need to modify the conventional ad hoc WMN, to address the uncertainties that may exist in its applicability in a Smart Grid environment. This research carries out an in-depth study of the communication of Smart Grid application traffic types over ad hoc WMN deployed in the Neighbour Area Network (NAN). It begins by conducting a critical review of the application characteristics and traffic requirements of several Smart Grid applications and highlighting some key challenges. Based on the reviews, and assuming that the application traffic types use the internet protocol (IP) as a transport protocol, a number of Smart Grid application traffic profiles were developed. Through experimental and simulation studies, a performance evaluation of an ad hoc WMN using the Optimised Link State Routing (OLSR) routing protocol was carried out. This highlighted some capacity and reliability issues that routing AMI application traffic may face within a conventional ad hoc WMN in a Smart Grid NAN. Given the fact that conventional routing solutions do not consider the traffic requirements when making routing decisions, another key observation is the inability of link metrics in routing protocols to select good quality links across multiple hops to a destination and also provide Quality of Service (QoS) support for target application traffic. As with most routing protocols, OLSR protocol uses a single routing metric acquired at the network layer, which may not be able to accommodate different QoS requirements for application traffic in Smart Grid. To address these problems, a novel multiple link metrics approach to improve the reliability performance of routing in ad hoc WMN when deployed for Smart Grid is presented. It is based on the OLSR protocol and explores the possibility of applying QoS routing for application traffic types in NAN based ad hoc WMN. Though routing in multiple metrics has been identified as a complex problem, Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) techniques such as the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and pruning have been used to perform such routing on wired and wireless multimedia applications. The proposed multiple metrics OLSR with AHP is used to offer the best available route, based on a number of considered metric parameters. To accommodate the variable application traffic requirements, a study that allows application traffic to use the most appropriate routing metric is presented. The multiple metrics development is then evaluated in Network Simulator 2.34; the simulation results demonstrate that it outperforms existing routing methods that are based on single metrics in OLSR. It also shows that it can be used to improve the reliability of application traffic types, thereby overcoming some weaknesses of existing single metric routing across multiple hops in NAN. The IEEE 802.11g was used to compare and analyse the performance of OLSR and the IEEE 802.11b was used to implement the multiple metrics framework which demonstrate a better performance than the single metric. However, the multiple metrics can also be applied for routing on different IEEE wireless standards, as well as other communication technologies such as Power Line Communication (PLC) when deployed in Smart Grid NAN.

The smart grid (SG) paradigm is the next technological leap of the conventional electrical grid, contributing to the protection of the physical environment and providing multiple advantages such as increased reliability, better service quality, and the efficient utilization of the existing infrastructure and the renewable energy resources. However, despite the fact that it brings beneficial environmental, economic, and social changes, the existence of such a system possesses important security and privacy challenges, since it includes a combination of heterogeneous, co-existing smart, and legacy technologies. Based on the rapid evolution of the cyber-physical systems (CPS), both academia and industry have developed appropriate measures for enhancing the security surface of the SG paradigm using, for example, integrating efficient, lightweight encryption and authorization mechanisms. Nevertheless, these mechanisms may not prevent various security threats, such as denial of service (DoS) attacks that target on the availability of the underlying systems. An efficient countermeasure against several cyberattacks is the intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS). In this paper, we examine the contribution of the IDPSs in the SG paradigm, providing an analysis of 37 cases. More detailed, these systems can be considered as a secondary defense mechanism, which enhances the cryptographic processes, by timely detecting or/and preventing potential security violations. For instance, if a cyberattack bypasses the essential encryption and authorization mechanisms, then the IDPS systems can act as a secondary protection service, informing the system operator for the presence of the specific attack or enabling appropriate preventive countermeasures. The cases we study focused on the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, substations, and synchrophasors. Based on our comparative analysis, the limitations and the shortcomings of the current IDPS systems are identified, whereas appropriate recommendations are provided for future research efforts.

Smart grid reliability and efficiency are critical for uninterrupted service, especially amidst growing demand and network complexity. Wide-Area Measurement Systems (WAMS) are valuable tools for mitigating faults and reducing fault-clearing time while simultaneously prioritizing cybersecurity. This review looks at smart grid WAMS implementation and its potential for cyber-physical power system (CPPS) development and compares it to traditional Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) infrastructure. While traditionally used in smart grids, SCADA has become insufficient in handling modern grid dynamics. WAMS differ through utilizing phasor measurement units (PMUs) to provide real-time monitoring and enhance situational awareness. This review explores PMU deployment models and their integration into existing grid infrastructure for CPPS and smart grid development. The review discusses PMU configurations that enable precise measurements across the grid for quicker, more accurate decisions. This study highlights models of PMU and WAMS deployment for conventional grids to convert them into smart grids in terms of the Smart Grid Architecture Model (SGAM). Examples from developing nations illustrate cybersecurity benefits in cyber-physical frameworks and improvements in grid stability and efficiency. Further incorporating machine learning, multi-level optimization, and predictive analytics can enhance WAMS capabilities by enabling advanced fault prediction, automated response, and multilayer cybersecurity.

The development of smart grids to operate electric power grids has helped in improving the efficiency and reliability of the electricity supply system. Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is a vital feature of the smart grid since it enables dynamic pricing of electricity, makes meter readings more accurate, reduces the load on the grid during peak hours etc. Integration of a smart grid with a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system has made the process of supervision and control quite straightforward. However, implementing an actual smart grid with AMI and SCADA integration requires meticulous planning, as it is a very expensive and risky project to undertake. Thus, before implementing the system with actual hardware components, an important precursor is to perform a realistic simulation so as to obtain an accurate layout of the system and understand its inner workings. By executing the simulation, crucial information can be gathered on the system and its behavior, and the infrastructure required to implement it on a large scale. This article explores the simulation of a Smart Grid SCADA system with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) in IGSS (Interactive Graphical SCADA System).

Challenges in power quality and reliability present significant difficulties in conventional power grids for both service providers and customers. Smart grids (SGs) provide the opportunity to integrate renewable energy resources, and integrating Internet of Things (IoT) in the grid can enhance the capabilities of the SG. This provides solutions to various challenges in power generation and distribution. This article aims to discuss the challenges and solutions encountered during the implementation of IoT in SG by revising the authors and their ideas. In this review, numerous applications such as advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), data distribution service (DDS), and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and how they can improve reliability and effectiveness in SG were discussed. However, there are still challenges faced when using IoT in a SG, such as the security threats and storage of large amounts of data as well as the exchange of information between equipment and control systems. Therefore, future research should focus on new security protocols that are specifically designed to address the unique challenges of IoT in SGs.

When we talk about smart grid we refer to the next generation of power systems that should and will replace existing power system grids through intelligent communication infrastructures, sensing technologies, advanced computing, smart meters, smart appliances, and renewable energy resources. Features of the smart grid must meet requirements as high efficiency, reliability, sustainability, flexibility, and market enabling. But, the growing dependency on information and communication technologies (ICT) with its applications and uses has led to new threats to discuss and to try to resist against them. On the one hand, the most important challenges for smart grid cyber security infrastructure are finding and designing optimum methods to secure communication networks between millions of inter-connected devices and entities throughout critical power facilities, especially by preventing attacks and defending against them with intelligent methods and systems in order to maintain our infrastructures resilient and without affecting their behavior and performances. On the other hand, another main challenge is to incorporate data security measures to the communication infrastructures and security protocols of the smart grid system keeping in mind the complexity of smart grid network and the specific cyber security threats and vulnerabilities. The basic concept of smart grid is to add control, monitoring, analysis, and the feature to communicate to the standard electrical system in order to reduce power consumption while achieving maximized throughput of the system. This technology, currently being developed around the world, will allow to use electricity as economically as possible for business and home user. The smart grid integrates various technical initiatives such as wide-area monitoring protection and control systems (WAMPAC) based on phasor measurement units (PMU), advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), demand response (DR), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and large-scale renewable integration in the form of wind and solar generation. Therefore, this chapter is focused on two main ideas considering modern smart grid infrastructures. The first idea is focused on high-level security requirements and objectives for the smart grid, and the second idea is about innovative concepts and methods to secure these critical infrastructures. The main challenge in assuring the security of such infrastructures is to obtain a high level of resiliency (immunity from various types of attacks) and to maintain the performances of the protected system. This chapter is organized in seven parts as follows. The first part of this chapter is an introduction in smart grid related to how it was developed in the last decades and what are the issues of smart grid in terms of cyber security. The second part shows the architecture of a smart grid network with all its features and utilities. The third part refers to the cyber security area of smart grid network which involves challenges, requirements, features, and objectives to secure the smart grid. The fourth part of this chapter is about attacks performed against smart grid network that happens because the threats and vulnerabilities existing in the smart grid system. The fifth part refers to the methods and countermeasures used to avoid or to minimize effects of complex attacks. The sixth part of the chapter is dedicated to presenting an innovative methodology for security assessment based on vulnerability scanning and honeypots usage. The last part concludes the chapter and draws some goals for future research directions. The main purposes of this chapter are: to present smart grid network architecture with all its issues, complexities, and features, to explore known and future threats and vulnerabilities of smart grid technology, to show how a highly secured smart grid should look like and how this next generation of power system should act and recover against the increasing complexity of cyber-attacks.

The Smart Grid concept has been conceived as the integration of the electrical grid (generation, transmission and distribution) and the communications network of an electric utility. Although, traditional communications interfaces, protocols and standards has been used in the electrical grid in an isolated manner, modern communications networks are considered as the fundamental enabling technologies within a Smart Grid environment. Emerging communications technologies, protocol architectures and standards can help to build a common communications network infrastructure for data transport between customer premises, power substations, power distribution systems, utility control centers and utility data centers. The Smart Grid will support traditional applications such as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), distribution automation (DA), energy management systems (EMS), demand site management (DSM) and automated meter reading (AMR), etc., as well as new applications like advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), substation automation (SA), microgrids, distributed generation (DG), grid monitoring and control, data storage and analysis, among others. To make this possible, the Smart Grid requires a two-way wide area communications network between different dispersed areas, from generation to consumer premises. An AMI system uses communication technologies for smart meter reading several times a day to get data consumption of electricity, as well as sending outage alarm information and meter tampering almost in real time, from the meter to the control center. Currently, there are various communication technologies to implement AMI systems. This paper presents an overview of the most relevant communications technologies that can be used to implement AMI communications infrastructure such as neighborhood area networks (NAN), field area networks (FAN) and wide area networks (WAN) using different transmission media such as fiber optics, spread spectrum radio frequency, microwave, WiMAX, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, cellular, and power line carrier. In addition, a review of the current state of progress in the implementation of various AMI projects around the world and the desired state for projects completion by the year 2020 is also presented.

The major cause of some recent blackouts around the world has been attributed to the heavy loading conditions compounded by the lack of real-time measurements and tools required for effectively monitoring these load conditions and their characteristics. The existing Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)/Energy Management System (EMS) platforms are usually based on unsynchronized SCADA measurements with a slow reporting rate of 1 measurement every 2–10 seconds. Synchrophasor measurements from Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) are increasingly being used to replace SCADA measurements because they are time-synchronized and can have a reporting rate of up to 240 measurements every second. This paper investigates the impact of customer load modelling, load composition, and load characteristics on power system voltage stability using real-time synchrophasor measurements obtained from PMUs. Voltage stability assessment indices are applied in this investigation in order to accurately determine the power system's transfer limits and reduce the system's operational uncertainties. Results for four case studies carried out using the 10-bus multimachine benchmark test system and a ‘proof-of-concept’ testbed are presented. The testbed is implemented using industrial-grade equipment comprising of the Real-Time Digital Simulator (RTDS), PMUs, Phasor Data Concentrators (PDCs), Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), communication network switches, and GPS satellite clock.

The integration of renewable energy sources (RES) into smart grids has been considered crucial for advancing towards a sustainable and resilient energy infrastructure. Their integration is vital for achieving energy sustainability among all clean energy sources, including wind, solar, and hydropower. This review paper provides a thoughtful analysis of the current status of the smart grid, focusing on integrating various RES, such as wind and solar, into the smart grid. This review highlights the significant role of RES in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing traditional fossil fuel reliability, thereby contributing to environmental sustainability and empowering energy security. Moreover, key advancements in smart grid technologies, such as Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), Distributed Control Systems (DCS), and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, are explored to clarify the related topics to the smart grid. The usage of various technologies enhances grid reliability, efficiency, and resilience are introduced. This paper also investigates the application of Machine Learning (ML) techniques in energy management optimization within smart grids with the usage of various optimization techniques. The findings emphasize the transformative impact of integrating RES and advanced smart grid technologies alongside the need for continued innovation and supportive policy frameworks to achieve a sustainable energy future.

Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) is an instrument that has been developed for improving the protection first and then control and monitoring system in smart power grid. This advanced technology may be used to provide high-speed and coherent real-time information about the power system that is not obtainable in conventional supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. This research work deals with the study of the conventional SCADA system that is based on RTU's and proposes how to integrate this technology PMU in SCADA system for improving its performance. To validate the present work, the performance of developed SCADA system is tested by power system Simulink model under different conditions. The obtained simulation results are satisfactory.

An IOT based smart grid system for advanced cooperative transmission and communication

The use of IoT devices in the future electricity domain (known as the smart grid) has numerous benefits, such as improved reliability of the power system, enhanced functions of SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), improved monitoring and management of operational power grid assets, and advanced metering infrastructure. The smart grid concept relies on the integration of high-speed and reliable communication networking technologies in order to provide twofold benefits - one for the interconnection between the existing power grid and intelligent information systems, and another for enabling real-time grid monitoring via IoT devices. However, the security of IoT devices themselves is a challenge due to the trade-off between device cost and secure communication requirements. Further, current electricity grids require robust and secure wireless communication infrastructure to realize transformation to smart grids. The 5G networks are considered as an enabler for digitalization of power grids and facilitating IoT connectivity for future smart grids with several benefits such as low latency, ultra high speed, and improved reliability. However, the use of public 5G networks may introduce new types of security risks to the IoT-based smart grids infrastructure. In this paper, we analyze the security aspects of 5G security specifications released by the 3GPP standards organization from the perspective of IoT-based smart grids. In particular, we consider a smart grid scenario utilizing 5G as a wireless communication infrastructure, and present 5G benefits to several security aspects such as authentication, confidentially, integrity, resiliency, and availability. Further, we outline security risks to IoT-based smart grids originating from compromised 5G network-related infrastructure.

The conventional electric power grid features on a vertical hierarchical up-down design approach consisting of the generation, transmission and the distribution systems. The new forms of markets with diverse consumers, integration and high penetration of renewable energy resources and the distributed generation call for evolutions of the conventional power grid. The next-generation power grid, namely smart grid, is meant to overcome the existing challenges and to improve the quality of the energy service and generation. Enhanced quality, improved controllability, higher reliability and security, demand-side management (DSM), smart appliances and technologies are some motives for the smart grid. Disassembling and reorganising the conventional grid hierarchy, communication, real-time advanced metering infrastructure, grid optimisation and computational intelligence are the main aspects of the smart grid development to achieve the targeted environmental and the economic benefits.

The rapid advancement and integration of smart grid technologies have revolutionized energy systems by enabling real-time monitoring, enhanced efficiency, decentralized energy generation, and renewable energy integration. However, this increased digitization and connectivity have simultaneously exposed critical infrastructures to a growing array of sophisticated cyber threats. As smart grids evolve into complex, data-driven ecosystems, ensuring their cybersecurity becomes paramount to achieving sustainable and resilient energy systems. This paper explores the intersection of cybersecurity and smart grid sustainability, identifying vulnerabilities in advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, distributed energy resources (DERs), and communication protocols. It discusses real-world incidents and simulated attack scenarios to highlight the potential consequences of cyber intrusions on grid stability, data integrity, and energy availability. A comprehensive framework for smart grid security is proposed, focusing on proactive risk management, threat detection through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), blockchain-enabled data validation, and zero-trust architecture models. The framework emphasizes the importance of stakeholder collaboration, regulatory compliance, and continuous system auditing to reinforce cybersecurity postures. Additionally, this study investigates the role of digital twins in simulating cyber-physical interactions and enabling predictive threat modeling for proactive resilience. Furthermore, the paper examines policy gaps, standardization issues, and workforce capacity constraints that hinder effective implementation of cybersecurity measures across diverse energy infrastructures. Strategies for integrating cybersecurity into the lifecycle of smart grid components from design to deployment are also discussed. By aligning technological innovation with robust cybersecurity governance, the paper aims to support the development of secure, adaptive, and sustainable smart energy systems capable of withstanding emerging cyber threats. The insights provided are intended to guide policymakers, grid operators, technology developers, and researchers in fortifying energy systems against cyber vulnerabilities while ensuring the continued advancement of clean and intelligent energy solutions. Ultimately, safeguarding smart grids is not merely a technical imperative but a foundational element for achieving long-term energy sustainability and national security in the digital era.