Widespread Loss of Communications in Grid Systems: Impacts and Response Strategies
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Montana Technological Univ., Butte, MT (United States)
This report explores the reliance on communication systems for bulk grid operations and considers selected options as a supplement to cyber security. The extreme scenario of a complete loss of communications for power grid operation is assessed, presenting a bounded, worst-case perspective. The paper explores grid communications failures and how a system modifications can, at an increased cost, retain a moderate level of preparedness for a loss of communications and control when used in partnership with cyber security protocols. Doing so allows the increased economic and secure operation that communication based controls affords, but also ensures a level of resilient operation if they are lost. The motivation of this paper is due to the proliferation of photovoltaic (PV) resources, and more generally, smart-grid resources within the US grid, which are requiring more and more active and wide-area controls. Though the loss of communication and control can affect nearly any grid control system, the risk of losing load at large scales requires a broad view of system interconnectivity, so it has been evaluated from a transmission perspective in this report.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000; NA0003525
- OSTI ID:
- 1489539
- Report Number(s):
- SAND--2018-14305; 671060
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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