Project: Control and performance analysis of a smart grid communication network

Project Objective: The primary objectives of this project are to define autonomous control functions and test their effects within the laboratory LAN of smart grid, analyze the performance of smart grid communication network with security and QoS concerns using the laboratory LAN as a node, develop an innovative utility-customer interactions infrastructure to economically manage the customer smart appliances.

As an innovation in the security issue of Smart Grid communication as shown in Fig.1, the new proposed TQOS (Trustworthiness-based Quality of Service) routing protocol ensures that every power system operation can be transmitted through a secure network. Based on this route discovery and setup procedure, each SCADA command may also experience a symmetric algorithm keyed-HMAC (Hashed Message Authentication Code), to avoid cyber-attacks caused by malicious node in Smart Grid communication network. In the traditional way, power system suffers from cyber security matters hardly, because large utilities always build some dedicated optical links among electrical substations in the transmission level. However, with the usage of new energy IED (Intelligent Electronic Device) growing up, the requirement of SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) is extended into the distribution level of power system, or even into the NAN (Neighborhood Area Network) and HAN (Home Area Network) communication, which are defined in the terms of cyber network for the convenience of hierarchical deployment. Comparing with the existed transmission level, i.e., substations network, there are exponentially more nodes in the lower level communication network of power system. Even considering about the wild expanded geography features, it will much more costly to build a high capacity dedicated network within the distribution level. On the other hand, it is much more economical and easier deployment to lease the connection service from some public network corporations, especially in the medium or large scale cities which always already have the well developed communication network and then make it more difficult to crowd another one into that area. In the case of leasing public communication network for distribution level power system, a cyber attack has the unique attribute that it can be launched through the entire network from a remote location anywhere in the world and coordinated to attack many locations simultaneously. So first, it is critical to discover and setup a reliable and secure route for the operating SCADA command. Then use certain encryption algorithm to transfer data within endurable network delay. This feasible solution utilizes the benefits of distributed topology, in which can guarantee the communication function even when some parts of the network are crashed. Furthermore, the dynamic (on-demand) routing discovery strategy can be configured periodically, to setup a shifting route timely and make it impossible for the malicious cyber-attack software to find a network access point. Another known smart grid communication solution is the so-called comprehensive MPLS VPN solution. Essentially, MPLS VPN solution forwards data traffic using fixed sized headers which contain a MPLS label value, and setup virtual circuit upon IP (Internet Protocol). To implement such features, electrical utility must subscribe the VPN services from the local ISPs.

References:

 Xiaohu Liu, Liming Liu, Hui Li “Coordinated Control between OLTC Transformer and Local Energy Storage System for Voltage Rise Mitigation under High Photovoltaic Penetration,” IEEE Transaction on Smart Grid (under revision).

 

CONTACT:                                     SPONSOR:

Dr .Hui Li, Associate Professor          NSF FREEDM

hli@caps.fsu.edu  (850) 644-8573