Assessing the Impact of Communication Networks on Power System Reliability

The operational importance of the communication networks requires granting them similar attention as other key components of the grid in the form of contingency and failure analysis, both from random failures and systemic issues such as cyber-attacks and network outages. Detailed analysis of such impacts requires computational models of the communication networks and the interaction of such networks with power systems. This panel will delve into the experience and issues encountered while modeling, simulating, and analyzing power grid communication networks, and will delve into the role these types of simulation can play in assessing and improving grid reliability in the face of new technologies and evolving threats.