The Idaho National Laboratory to enhance power-grid testing capabilities

The Idaho National Laboratory is expanding its testing environment to allow more flexibility in its testing of new technologies.

Power distribution is a big deal — it to be reliable, at all times. Usually, smart-grid testing cannot be done while the grid is running because then the grid would not be able to produce any power. To combat that issue, the INL is enhancing its technology, in hopes of testing the grid while it provides us with power.

“For over 10 years we’ve had this capability, but not the extent that we are going into now. So for example, prior to this project, we wouldn’t have been able to test as many components within the system as we will be capable of testing once this enhancement is done,” said Bradley Nelson, the INL’s smart grid project manager.

The smart grid will be the place to test new technology with a more realistic feel, instead of having researchers theorize or guess by simulating their product.

“Could be academic and research-type folks – scientist and engineers that want to basically test research that they’re conducting on certain components within the electric grid. It could be industry players such as utilities, that actually want to come out and test some of the products they are starting to introduce into their production environment,” Nelson said.

The INL testing program is supposed to reduce the risk of testing new technologies. The work to expand technology will include more smart-grid devices, communication tools, renewable energy and energy storage.

“Implementing these enhancements, we will have the capability of both broadening our portfolio products that we can introduce into tests as well as the depth in which we can test them,” Nelson said.

This testing environment in our own backyards will provide ways to enhance and improve the grid and to test products that will be used across the country.

Nevertheless, as technology continues to move forward, the potential for cyberthreats increases as well. An upgraded smart grid will provide a controlled environment; something that will be great for testing cybersecurity threats and creating measures to prevent against them.

“You can introduce different types of cybersecurity threats and, through the instrumentation and controlling, look at how well it’s detected within that system — look at potentially why it would have gotten through,” Nelson said.

The INL maintains a 61-mile transmission system in Arco that provides a realistic testing environment. Adding the enhancement to its smart grid will give the INL a more secure spot as the nation’s top testing facility against cybersecurity threats.

“We already kind of are a primer cybersecurity [entity] — that’s one of our mission-critical items for the company, for the lab. So yeah, we are today and this will actually further that capability as we look into the future,” Nelson said.

The INL also said the new test system will have more power lines and a mesh framework to make sure the environment is in line with current industry-distribution practices.

Provided by the INL – The Unique Infrastructure of the INL’s Smart Grid

Geographically the largest national laboratory in the Department of Energy complex, INL’s vast terrain consists of 890 square miles of desert plains. The laboratory’s facilities are spread across this landscape in clusters similar to modern cities and urban environments. In between these nodes lie utility-scale infrastructure systems ranging from an independently operated and isolatable power grid to a low-interference telecommunications network. We also own multiple test beds and ranges that provide demonstration space and equipment for cyber assessments, electromagnetic pulse experiments, sensor testing, explosives, and modeling and simulation.

Our facilities are matched with equally impressive technical experts. In fact, we employ dozens of power engineers, control systems experts, cybersecurity researchers, network security specialists and others who work in a build-test-build environment geared toward improving grid security. And since many of our employees have industrial backgrounds or government experience, they understand how to introduce modern-day security requirements into a complex system originally designed for reliability and efficiency.

Today, electric power is a vital resource that powers our homes and businesses and provides us with modern conveniences and fundamental needs. Protecting this system is INL’s focus and mission. And as the nation turns toward a smarter grid system, we will continue to provide valuable information and technical expertise that utilities and governments alike have grown accustom to receiving.

INL operates a 61 mile, 138kV dualfed power loop complete with seven substations.

Portions of the power loop can be isolated for independent, real-time testing.

The laboratory owns a complete library of power simulation tools including a supercomputer

More information about DOE’s mission to ensure a resilient, reliable and flexible electricity system is available at http://www.energy.gov/oe/office-electricity-delivery-and-energy-reliability. See more INL news at www.inl.gov. Follow @INL on Twitter or visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/IdahoNationalLaboratory.