Security of communications in voltage control for grids connecting DistributedEnergy Resources: impact analysis andanomalous behaviours

The paper focuses on medium voltage grids characterised by a high level penetration of Distributed Energy Resources and examines the risks associated to the communication malfunctions of an ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) architecture implementing the voltage control function. The mostly critical segments of the communication infrastructure are clearly represented by the HV/MV substation networks that, in addition to local communications towards substation control devices and to information exchanges with the remote control centres, have to interact with external actors, managing distributed generators and controllable MV loads, and with MV/LV substations aggregating controllable small size generators and flexible LV loads. The first step of the risk analysis shows how the…