Impact Analysis of Cyber-related Failures on Power System Reliability - A Review

Modern power grid is experiencing an increased influx of smart grid technologies in enhancing the reliability of its operations, by providing improved communication and real-time control capabilities. However, this makes the grid structure expand in dimensionality and complexity, making it vulnerable to cyber component failures as the physical infrastructure becomes more dependent on cyber-enabled functions. It is therefore important to study ways in which cyber systems may fail and how they impact the reliability of the power grid. This paper presents a review study on the nature of cyber-physical power system interdependencies and also highlights current research studies conducted in the areas of cyber-physical reliability and cyber-security. The overall goal of this paper is to provide a better understanding of the operations of cyber-physical power system infrastructure and provoke interest amongst members of the research community in addressing stated research gaps within this promising field.

I. Introduction

The key objective of the power grid is in generating and transporting sufficient electricity in meeting demand economically and securely through the interconnections of generators, transmission lines, transformers, and loads [1]. However, owing to rising energy demand and the adoption of distributed generation resources, the grid structure is becoming inadequate and in need of reforms in ensuring improved reliability [2]. As such, one of the significant solutions is the inclusion of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) within the grid [3].