Remote - Fall 2016 - 12

Feature Article Physically Securing Utility Substations: Key Questions to Ask Petter A. Fiskerud, Program Manager - Power Transformer Resiliency - ABB TRES Emma Ritch, Global Business Development Manager - ABB Wireless A number of physical attacks, such as trespassing, vandalism, theft, and sabotage on remote substations in the past has highlighted the need for utilities to execute on substation resiliency assessments and take the necessary steps to ensure secure operations. This is a critical task for utility operators, as the costs attributed to repairing equipment combined with lost revenue from power outages are in the millions. Moreover, attacks and outages could lead to community and utility worker safety issues. No small matter. To help utilities reach their substation security and resiliency goals, operation managers are deploying smarter physical defenses that work hand-in-hand with a reliable and secure communications network, shoring up substation defenses, decreasing reaction times and getting back online faster. In developing a strategic defense and recovery plan, assessing infrastructure vulnerabilities is the initial step. Utility operators need to ask the following key questions to identify the weaknesses that exist. How Easy Would it be for an Attacker to Access the Substation? Hardening can be designed in to a new build or part of a retrofit plan. Utilities building new substations have the advantage of building in attack resistance within the design. To address this, there's been a substantial increase in indoor and underground facilities, even at remote locations. Another way to increase grid security is to design smaller substations so that population centers are served by a larger number of them, making it much more difficult to launch a coordinated attack that can cripple the entire system. Retrofitting existing substations may be a challenge, but there are ways to protect the most vulnerable components. These include enhanced lighting systems, infrared cameras, motion detection devices, redundant wireless communication and physical barriers around critical equipment. Smaller devices, such as the protection and communication devices, can be security fortified and hidden within existing control houses. Reducing the amount of cabling in a substation also reduces risk. Unfortunately, transformers are not so easily hidden. One large transformer can cost millions of dollars and take months or even years from design to commissioning. To make them less vulnerable, ABB is designing transformers with a number of additional features that will harden them against physical attack including: * * * * * Ballistic resistant tank walls Shielded accessories on the exterior of the tanks Ballistic impact sensors Use of dry composite bushings instead of porcelain oil-filled bushings Redundant/automated cooling systems Ballistic testing performed in accordance with UL 752 shows that the transformer can be designed to withstand Level 10 without penetration of the tank. In addition ABB's solution will not change the look and feel of your transformer preventing costly rebuilds of your substation or effect the normal maintenance practice making the solution simple and cost effective. How Would the Utility Know of an Attack? Because substations are often in locations that are removed from the center of operations, monitoring involves both keeping a physical eye on what's going on at the substation, as well as electronics to identify incursions or power disruptions in real time and the extent of their impact. For both new and existing substations, a number of devices including cameras, motion detectors and fence sensors can alert the utility to a breach. While these technologies have been around a long time, they are getting more sophisticated. Upgraded applications include thermal imaging/night vision cameras, gunshot location sensors, door alarms, keypads and biometrics for access control, motion detectors and intrusion sensors. So much of substation operations and monitoring relies on electronic communications and must be part of the plan as well. Wireless networks offer many advantages over wired networks and preferred by utilities because they are much easier and more cost-effective to deploy in substations as they require no trenching. A wireless mesh communication network architecture offers: 12 www.RemoteMagazine.com http://www.RemoteMagazine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Remote - Fall 2016