Cybersecurity for Microgrids

Cyber Critical Infrastructure Protection Command and Control

Power for U.S. national needs is provided through three major grids consisting of 10 smaller grids. These are interconnected through only three gateways. The electrical grid provides consumers with electricity from generation systems through transmission systems (power plants to distribution stations) and distribution systems (distribution stations to consumers).

By relying primarily on large power plants to provide most of the electrical power needs, a failure in any of the grids can have catastrophic effects. A more reliable approach that increases the level of energy surety is to establish distributed power generation services based upon microgrids. These may consist of any combination of supply sources, such as reciprocating engine generator sets; micro-turbines; fuel cells; photovoltaic cells; algae farms; wind farms; and other small-scale renewable generators, storage devices, and controllable end-use loads. By creating a network of small power generation facilities, entities such as military bases, state and local government facilities, and local neighborhoods can be guaranteed energy surety in the face of a loss of service from a large power plant or major electrical grid. {continued}