Description:
TECHNOLOGY AREA(S):
OBJECTIVE: The goal of GRIDMAPS is to enable critical long-term resilience by developing a power flow and connectivity modeling program that can: i) integrate data in real-time with the dynamic and potentially re-infected grid landscape as it undergoes incremental cyber clean up; ii) provide real time operational feedback; iii) create relevant data that can rapidly inform decisions; and iv) assist in successful restoration to critical facilities.
DESCRIPTION:
Black Start success is highly dependent on real-time situational awareness and the ability to respond to the availability of grid elements during a restart. Cyber induced blackout responses have significant inherent uncertainties that demand flexibility. Specifically, the challenge is to identify for use the available power system routes found only from understanding power capacity and flow limitations. Real-time, flexible tools that aid understanding of i) electric power system states of being, ii) black start power supply capacities and iii) pivot locations around unavailable transmission and distribution lines will improve success potential exponentially in returning power to critical assets.
The tools needed are not intended to replace legacy state analysis tools, rather to offer a rapid response planning and estimating capability to better inform black start operations.Specifically, it is known that electric grids after a cyber incident will largely be unavailable. Black start begins at the lowest elements with individual generators feeding local distribution systems that migrate one segment at a time to substations that feed power to a larger and larger generation capacity. This, in effect, restores the grid one electrical island at a time, and eventually combines into larger islands feeding critical loads.
The proving ground is found by taking the system model with all elements offline. Then individually turn each back on starting with the black start generators followed by each section of distribution/substation/transmission as they are cleansed and released for use.
Long range goals include assisting in developing best practices for black start scenarios, achieving quicker response to power grid failures, and assisting in building a viable national resilience framework.
PHASE I:
This is a Direct to Phase II ONLY.Performers must demonstrate knowledge, skills and ability with power systems as well as contingency and rapid analytics to include variable load flow conditions. Proof of understanding and ability to ingest power system diagrams of the conventional, electrical and systems type is required. Presentation materials and/or white papers, technical papers, test data, prototype designs/models and performance goals/results on power grid systems and related topics will be expected to verify mastery of the required content.
For detailed information on DP2 requirements and eligibility, please refer to Section 4.2, Direct to Phase II (DP2) Requirements, and Appendix B of HR001120S0019.
PHASE II:
As part of this 24-month, $1.25M, Direct to Phase II SBIR topic, Proposers will:
- Execute a research plan that includes defining how to ingest existing system modeling (system impedance models used for SCADA and EMS systems) while allowing for current system state updates.
- In concert with Utility practitioners, develop “What If” modeling techniques to support decisions surrounding unavailable desired power grid routing if cyber cleansing was unsuccessful.
- Develop tools with the ability to aid in rapid grid restoration.
- Develop product requirements for tools that could identify power flow limitations based on available limits (for example, the current limits of generator or power lines) supporting informed decision making.
- Develop capability in a mobile distributed platform for both generation and utility operations to leverage since data centers and large computing assets would not be available in a large scale outage.
- Complete a commercialization plan that addresses relevant costs of materials, potential material and equipment suppliers, market opportunity and anticipated positioning, and unique intellectual property.
Schedule/Milestones/Deliverables Phase II fixed milestones for this program should include:
- Month 2: Report on lessons learned, updated architectures, algorithms, and learning approaches
- Month 4: Report on acquisition of Phase II real-world data sets, proposed evaluation metrics, and initial analyses results
- Month 6: Interim report describing performance of real-world system
- Month 8: Interim report quantifying system performance, comparing with alternative state-of-the art approaches using machine learning, control theory or other conventional methods, and documenting lessons learned
- Month 10:Demonstrate GUI for new users with unassisted ability in selecting inputs/outputs, reports and analytics
- Month 12: Final Phase II report documenting final prototype architectures and algorithms, methods, results, comparisons with alternative methods, and quantification of accuracy, robustness, and generalizability
- Option Period:If exercised, milestones will be reviewed for appropriate consideration and modification.
PHASE III: The primary support will be to the Department of Energy (DOE) and its power grid subsidiary communities involved with distribution, generation, and transmission in addition to those entities reliant upon them.The benefits, when scalable, would be multi-faceted across the whole of government through these entities that provide power to the DoD to include the DOE, Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC) and all commercial power providers.The technology, in the form of cyber tools, would be available for both power generation and utility operations to leverage as a fundamental capability supporting grid resilience.They are not intended to replace legacy state analysis tools, but to offer improved rapid response planning and estimating capability through interactive feedback that better informs black start operations from an evolving threat perspective.Partners from these areas of government and industry are likely sources of Phase III funding.
KEYWORDS: Grid, Redesign, Integration, Defense, Modeling, Analysis, Power Systems, cybersecurity, rapid, flow, connectors
References:
[1] North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), Glossary of Terms Used in NERC Reliability Standards, last updated February 24, 2020, p. 16, https://www.nerc.com/files/glossary_of_terms.pdf
[2] NERC, “About Alerts,” n.d., https://www.nerc.com/pa/rrm/bpsa/Pages/About-Alerts.aspx
[3] DOE, United States Electricity Industry Primer, July 2015, p. 33, https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/12/f28/united-states-electricity-industry-primer.pdf
[4] Paul Stockton, Resilience for Grid Security Emergencies: Opportunities for Industry-Government Collaboration, 2018, https://www.jhuapl.edu/Content/documents/ResilienceforGridSecurityEmergencies.pdf
