University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Stability impact of increased DER penetration in regard to the IEEE 1547 standard in the presence of cyberadversaries

Chapagain, Prerak

Content Files
CHAPAGAIN-THESIS-2021.pdf

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/110541

Description

Title
Stability impact of increased DER penetration in regard to the IEEE 1547 standard in the presence of cyberadversaries
Author(s)
Chapagain, Prerak
Issue Date
2021-04-26
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Sauer, Peter
Department of Study
Electrical & Computer Eng
Discipline
Electrical & Computer Engr
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Level
Thesis
Date of Ingest
2021-09-17T01:11:12Z
Keyword(s)
  • IEEE 1547-2018
  • cyberadversary
  • cyberattack
  • Distributed Energy Resources
  • DER penetration
  • ride through
  • tripping
  • stability analysis
Abstract
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1547 standard addresses the integration of distributed energy resources (DER) into area electric power system (AEPS). First released in 2003, with multiple revisions ongoing, the most recent version from 2018 is used in this thesis to develop several use cases to assess the stability risks in the presence of cyber adversaries. The updated standard specifies the need for more flexible settings, requiring DER to remain connected during certain disturbances and provide voltage support via active and reactive power modes. The advent of these functionalities also introduces possible risks where certain settings combinations, which, while allowable under the standard, may actually create instability. The notion that DER should be equipped with a communication interface to be able to communicate with the AEPS operator exposes DER to numerous attack vectors from cyber adversaries. This concern is amplified as DER penetration increases, where under a reasonable threat model, multiple DER could be attacked simultaneously. Through several illustrative use cases, this thesis addresses in detail how potentially adverse combinations of mode change, mode setting parameters, and ride-through and tripping settings could lead to instability. The use cases are then validated through simulations of a hypothetical AEPS with varying degrees of DER penetration. It was concluded that certain adverse mode changes or settings, whether through error or cyberattack, can lead to unstable conditions with DER penetrations as low as 24% of the AEPS system capacity. This is a motivation to look into possible mitigation strategies on both the cybersecurity and cyber physical sides of the problem.
Graduation Semester
2021-05
Type of Resource
Thesis
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/110541
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2021 Prerak Chapagain

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