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Utility Automation & Monitoring


RTU and HMI Redundancy in Electrical Substations

As the substation RTU takes on more applications, such as Human-Machine-Interface (HMI), alarm annunciation, math & logic and “relay communication processing”, its need for high availability increases. Anything that takes the RTU out of service – configuration change, firmware update, or...

Deep Packet Inspection Firewalls

Protecting legacy SCADA systems from cyberattacks BY ERIC BYRES, Belden Over the past decade, the power industry has embraced network technologies such as Ethernet and transmission control protocol (TCP)/Internet protocol suite (IP) for supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and...

Protecting SCADA Systems with Defense-in-Depth Strategies

How utilities can utilize multi-layered security approaches BY RICHARD CLARK, InduSoft Defense-in-depth is a security strategy first developed by military leaders in which multiple layers of safeguards are placed throughout a system. The concept behind the strategy is that it is more difficult to...

Utility Automation & Monitoring

Distribution Management Ecosystems

How utilities can yield significant operational benefits

BY JEFF WALZ, Siemens Smart Grid

As North American electric utilities continue to transform their existing electric delivery assets into a smarter grid, strong emphasis is placed on systems, products, and services that provide value in automating and managing the electric distribution network. Within this context, utilities are focusing on four main themes in distribution: reliability, efficiency, safety, and interoperability.

These themes relate directly to the operational objectives...

Related Articles


Protecting SCADA Systems with Defense-in-Depth Strategies

How utilities can utilize multi-layered security approaches BY RICHARD CLARK, InduSoft Defense-in-depth is a security strategy first developed by military leaders in which multiple layers of safeguards are placed throughout a system. The concept behind the strategy is that it is more difficult to...

Adopting Smart Grid Standards

Utilize industry guidelines for modern and future technologies BY W. CHARLTON ADAMS JR., IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA), Huawei Technologies A vision is coalescing worldwide of people ubiquitously connected across smart cities, smart buildings, smart cars and, perhaps, even through sensors on...

Interoperable Grid

A Grid With Multiple Applications

Examining the foundational elements in architecture decision BY TOM WILSON, Itron In recent years, the utility industry has seen a diverse set of use cases for Smart Grid deployments emerge. North American electric utilities are carefully considering architecture decisions to ensure that the...


Smart Substations and Their Role in the Evolving Smart Grid

The power industry is undergoing a profound transformation driven by grid modernization, renewable integration, and increasing demands for resilience and efficiency. At the heart of this evolution lies the smart substation—a next-generation facility equipped with advanced sensors, digital...

FERC Complaint Targets Duke, PJM Transmission Planning

A coalition of large energy consumers and ratepayer advocates has filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), urging the agency to prohibit transmission owners from independently planning "local" transmission projects exceeding 100 kilovolts (kV). The coalition argues...

Texas PUC Shelves $1B Grid Credit Mechanism

The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) has unanimously decided to shelve the proposed $1 billion Performance Credit Mechanism (PCM) for power generators, concluding that it would not deliver the anticipated grid reliability benefits. The PCM was conceived as a means to incentivize power...

FERC Rejects PJM Transmission Planning Change

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has rejected a proposal from PJM Interconnection, one of the United States' largest regional transmission organizations, to alter its transmission planning protocol. The decision represents a significant victory for state regulators who had expressed...

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FERC Approves Interconnection for Talen Energy, Amazon Data Center

In a significant move that underscores the growing demand for reliable and sustainable energy to power the expanding digital infrastructure, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved an interconnection agreement between Talen Energy, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Exelon. This...

RWE Expands Its Footprint with 450 MW of Battery Energy Storage in Texas

In a significant move for the renewable energy landscape, RWE, a leading global energy company, has announced the addition of 450 megawatts (MW) of battery energy storage capacity in Texas. This expansion underscores the growing importance of energy storage solutions in enhancing grid reliability...

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