An analysis of smart grid communication infrastructure & cyber security in smart grid

Abstract

This paper investigates the smart grid communication infrastructure with an upgrade of existing electricity networks and advanced ICT technologies, intelligent devices & system. Considering that the energy utilities have been play an increasingly important role in our modern world, smart grid technology also introduces new security challenges that must be addressed. This paper focuses on the implementation of smart grid communication architecture to develop a real time situation and study the security challenges that is occurring on its communication infrastructure. A micro grid structure with particular generation and distribution specification along with its relevant communication infrastructure is designed to analyze the security challenges. The studies have been performed on the basis of digital computer simulation approach using the Power Factory 14.1 software package. Some dynamic system events were formulated to link the designed micro grid architecture to the real time situation and to analyze the change in different system parameters due to cyber-attack and effect of these changes are examined on the smart grid generation and distribution network. This analysis is further used for identifying the cyberattack prone areas to ensure cyber security and determine the methods required for enabling cyber security in smart grid communication infrastructure.