Читать книгу Building an Effective Security Program for Distributed Energy Resources and Systems - Mariana Hentea - Страница 17

In the US electric sector, the key players include utilities and system operators [GAO 2011]:

 Utilities own and operate electricity assets, which may include generation plants, transmission lines, distribution lines, and substations including structures often seen in residential and commercial areas that contain technical equipment such as switches and transformers to ensure smooth, safe flow of current and voltage. Utilities may be owned by investors, municipalities, and individuals (as in cooperative utilities).

 System operators are sometimes affiliated with a particular utility or sometimes independent and responsible for managing the electricity flows in multiple utility areas. The system operators manage and control the generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power using control systems, IT information systems, and network‐based systems that monitor and control sensitive processes and physical functions, including opening and closing circuit breakers (see definitions in Appendix B). Therefore, the effective functioning of the electricity industry is highly dependent on these control systems.

However, for many years, the US electricity network lacked opportunities such as [GAO 2011]:

 Adequate technologies (e.g. sensors) to allow system operators to monitor how much electricity was flowing on distribution lines.

 Communication networks to further integrate parts of the electricity grid with control centers.

 Computerized control devices to automate system management and recovery.