The importance of up-to-date critical system monitoring
BY MARLEE ROSEN, Rosen Associates
Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) networks contain computers and applications that perform critical capabilities in delivering essential services and commodities (for example, electricity, natural gas, water, waste treatment, wind farms, transportation) to consumers. As such, they are part of America’s critical infrastructure and require protection from a variety of threats that exist in cyber space and even more commonly today, the mentality that “if it isn’t broken then don’t fix it”.
To optimize the collection and analysis of the data and control of equipment such as pumps and valves from remote locations, SCADA networks provide great efficiency and are widely used but many have been set up roughly 15 years ago and left to run without any further concern for product updates or enhancements.
MITIGATE RISK
These legacy SCADAs present a tremendous security risk. SCADAs were initially designed to maximize functionality and automate processes, product updates and new revisions. However, SCADA companies merged, ceased to exist or evolved more into manufacturing execution systems (MES). Also, tremendous changes have occurred in the automation industry that have left multitudes of outdated SCADAs in the field. As a result,...
Itron Inc, which makes technology to monitor energy and water usage, said it would buy Silver Spring Networks Inc., in a deal valued at about $830 million, to expand its presence in the smart city and smart grid markets. Silver Spring’s network equipment and services help transform power...
How utilities can utilize multi-layered security approaches BY RICHARD CLARK, InduSoft Defense-in-depth is a security strategy first developed by military leaders in which multiple layers of safeguards are placed throughout a system. The concept behind the strategy is that it is more difficult to...
In the spring of 2008, two Duke Energy executives asked me to investigate the necessary requirements to deploy a distribution management system (DMS). At the time, my knowledge of DMS was limited, so I had to conduct a very thorough investigation. When I undertook this project, I did not realize...
With a fast-growing global population and increasing levels of industrialization, demand for electricity is expected to soar 60 percent between now and 2040. That means power grids will be called on to transmit more power, more efficiently. And to do so, they’ll have to adapt to an evolving...
Alliant Energy has officially brought Iowa’s largest solar facility online, marking a significant milestone in the state's renewable energy landscape. The 200-megawatt (MW) Pleasant Creek Solar project, located in Linn County, is now operational and supplying clean electricity to Alliant...
Texas is at a pivotal crossroads in its energy policy, with legislative actions that could significantly reshape the state's electricity landscape. A recent report by Aurora Energy Research, commissioned by the Texas Association of Business, warns that proposed restrictions on renewable energy...
Duke Energy Florida has announced plans to build four new utility-scale solar energy facilities across the state, aimed at adding 300 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy to the grid. This expansion is part of the company’s broader strategy to increase its solar generation capacity and...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has launched a review of the rules surrounding the colocation of large energy consumers, such as data centers, with power plants within the PJM Interconnection region. This review follows concerns raised by stakeholders, including major energy...
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) failure to act on ISO New England's (ISO-NE) proposed interconnection reforms is raising alarms, as it could prevent up to 3 gigawatts (GW) of new resources from participating in the region's upcoming capacity auction. The delay, if unresolved,...
Puerto Rico's electric utility, LUMA Energy, recently revealed plans to integrate nearly 1 GW of renewable energy and over 700 MW of energy storage into the island’s power grid. This initiative is part of a broader effort to move away from fossil fuels and to enhance the resilience and...
