Cybersecurity in Distributed Power Systems

This paper presents the application of cybersecurity to the operation and control of distributed electric power systems. In particular, the paper emphasizes the role of cybersecurity in the operation of microgrids and analyzes the dependencies of microgrid control and operation on information and communication technologies for cybersecurity. The paper discusses common cyber vulnerabilities in distributed electric power systems and presents the implications of cyber incidents on physical processes in microgrids. The paper examines the impacts of potential risks attributed to cyberattacks on microgrids and presents the affordable technologies for mitigating such risks. In addition, the paper presents a minimax-regret approach for minimizing the impending risks in managing microgrids. The paper also presents the opportunities provided by software-defined networking technologies to enhance the security of microgrid operations. It is concluded that cybersecurity could play a significant role in managing microgrid operations as microgrids strive for a higher degree of resilience as they supply power services to customers.