HUNTSVILLE, Ala., March 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — In recent months, there have been multiple successful and attempted attacks on U.S. electrical power transmission substations. While these may seem to be isolated incidents, there is no guarantee there won’t be more attempts. With the frequency of attacks increasing, electric companies have taken steps to mitigate threats and reduce challenges to the nation’s power grid.
Attacks on substations are of high concern due to the damage they cause to transformers, which are an essential component of power grids. Protecting these assets is key because they are complex and custom-built, which means it takes considerable time and resources to procure, secure and maintain them. An Alabama-based company Observation Without Limits (O.W.L.) has developed the technology (GroundAware® radar systems) to help utility companies protect against orchestrated power grid attacks and routine intrusions resulting in thefts, vandalism and other damage.
In March 2014, The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an Order on Reliability Standards for Physical Security Measures, which led the North American Energy Reliability Corporation (NERC) to issue a standard for addressing potential risks due to physical security threats. Utility companies were directed to evaluate threats and make changes to site-specific security plans to protect against threats.
For more than six years, the energy sector has been updating regional monitoring, as identified through the CIP-014 Threat and Vulnerability Assessment, and implementing perimeter security systems at critical sites.
For compliance with CIP-014 and to protect substations that comprise the power grid, O.W.L.’s GroundAware® digital radars provide utility companies with real-time situational awareness and response capabilities to prevent physical security threats on ground and water surfaces and in low-altitude airspace around critical sites. Using advanced, real-time digital radar technology, GroundAware® detects intruders with as much lead time as possible, tracks intruders’ movements, and distinguishes among different types of targets resulting in alarms only on targets of concern. Automated responsive actions are instantly triggered on an all-weather, 24/7 basis — with minimal human involvement.
For more information on how O.W.L. can work with your company to minimize threats to your substations and the power grid overall, click here.
SOURCE O.W.L. Observation Without Limits
