Integrating Smart City Technologies with Holistic Asset Management Strategies for Improved Power Grid Resilience Against Extreme Events

Written by Masoud Barati and Mohammad Ensaf

As the world continues to urbanize and integrate technology into everyday life, smart cities are emerging as a solution for sustainable living. With the growing threat of extreme events, asset management becomes essential in ensuring the resilience of power grids. This article explores the role of asset management in power grids facing extreme events in the context of smart cities. We analyze the importance of efficient asset management strategies to enhance the robustness of power grids and reduce the impact of extreme events on smart city infrastructure.


Introduction

Smart cities aim to enhance the quality of life and promote sustainable living through the integration of advanced technology and data-driven solutions. Among the many challenges faced by smart cities, extreme events can have a significant impact on the performance and stability of power grids. In this context, asset management plays a crucial role in ensuring the resilience and reliability of power systems against such events.

 

On the Role of Asset Management in Power Grids Facing Extreme Events

Efficient asset management strategies can help mitigate the impacts of extreme events on power grids [1]. These strategies include preventive maintenance, system redundancy, and contingency planning. By implementing proactive measures, asset management can reduce the vulnerabilities in power grids and enhance their ability to recover from extreme events efficiently. Extreme events such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and wildfires can cause significant damage to power grids, resulting in prolonged power outages and significant economic losses. The role of asset management is to proactively identify and manage the risks associated with these extreme events, ensuring that power grids can quickly recover from disruptions and minimize the impacts on customers. There are certain challenges associated with managing assets in power grids. One of the biggest challenges associated with asset management is uncertainty. Extreme events are often unpredictable, making it difficult to anticipate the impact on power grids and plan for contingencies. Another challenge is the cost associated with asset management. Implementing measures to improve the resilience of power grids can be expensive, and power companies must balance the cost of these measures with the potential benefits. Asset management plays a key role in minimizing the economic losses associated with power outages resulting from extreme events. By proactively managing assets, power companies can reduce the likelihood of outages and minimize the impacts on customers, resulting in reduced economic losses. Another important aspect of asset management is protecting public safety. Power outages resulting from extreme events can have serious implications for public safety, particularly in critical facilities such as hospitals and emergency services. By ensuring the resilience of power grids, asset management can help protect public safety during extremes.

 

The Importance of a Holistic Approach

A holistic approach to asset management, which considers the interdependence of various components within a power grid, is essential for enhancing system resilience [2]. It allows stakeholders (system operators, utilities, customers, investors, communities, and policymakers) to understand the interconnectedness and interdependence of various components, helping them make informed decisions for maintaining and improving the system's reliability and efficiency. The essential aspects to consider for a comprehensive understanding of power grid vulnerabilities and strengths are given in Figure 1, accompanied by the following explanation:

  • Physical infrastructure: This encompasses power generation sources, transmission lines, substations, distribution networks, and other essential equipment. Understanding the condition, age, capacity, and maintenance needs of these assets is crucial for ensuring their reliability and preventing failures [3].
  • Communication networks: Secure and reliable communication is critical for real-time monitoring, control, and coordination of the power grid. Communication networks connect various grid components, enabling data exchange and supporting decision-making processes. Evaluating the resilience and security of these networks is crucial for safeguarding the power grid against cyber threats and ensuring uninterrupted operation [4].
  • Data analytics: Advanced analytics can help identify patterns, predict failures, and optimize asset performance. By collecting and analyzing data from various sources, such as sensors, smart meters, and weather information, stakeholders can gain insights into the power grid's performance, vulnerabilities, and potential improvements [5].
  • Cybersecurity: As power grids become more connected and reliant on digital technologies, their vulnerability to cyber-attacks increases. Ensuring the security of critical systems and data is vital to prevent disruptions and maintain the stability of the power grid [5].
  • Policy and regulation: Regulatory frameworks and policies play a significant role in shaping power grid resilience. They determine the incentives, standards, and guidelines that influence asset management practices, infrastructure investments, and the integration of new technologies [4].
  • Workforce development: A skilled and knowledgeable workforce is essential for effective asset management. Ongoing training, education, and knowledge-sharing programs can help ensure that personnel have the expertise required to maintain and enhance power grid resilience [5].
  • Stakeholder collaboration: Cooperation among various stakeholders, such as utility companies, regulators, technology providers, and customers, is essential for creating a shared understanding of power grid challenges and opportunities. Collaborative efforts can drive innovation, improve resource allocation, and facilitate the implementation of best practices for holistic asset management [6].

Figure 1 Key Aspects of Holistic Asset Management for Power Grid Resilience in Smart Cities

 Figure 1: Key Aspects of Holistic Asset Management for Power Grid Resilience in Smart Cities.

 


Conclusion

Asset management plays a crucial role in enhancing the resilience of power grids in smart cities against extreme events. By adopting efficient strategies and taking a holistic approach, smart cities can reduce the impact of extreme events on their power systems and ensure a more sustainable and reliable urban environment.


References

  1.  M. Nozarian, A. Fereidunian and M. Barati, “Reliability-Oriented Planning Framework for Smart Cities: From Interconnected Micro Energy Hubs to Macro Energy Hub Scale,” in IEEE Systems Journal, doi: 10.1109/JSYST.2023.3244498.
  2. M. Panteli and P. Mancarella, “The Grid: Stronger, Bigger, Smarter? Presenting a Conceptual Framework of Power System Resilience,” in IEEE Power and Energy Magazine, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 58-66, May-June 2015. doi: 10.1109/MPE.2015.2397336
  3. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), “Transforming the Nation's Electricity System: The Second Installment of the Quadrennial Energy Review,” Jan. 2017. [Online]. Available https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2017/02/f34/Chapter%20I--Transforming%20the%20Nation%27s%20Electricity%20System.pdf
  4. European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E), “Asset Management - Position Paper,” Aug. 2017. [Online]. Available: https://eepublicdownloads.entsoe.eu/clean-documents/Publications/SDC/170821_Asset_Management_Position_Paper.pdf
  5. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), “Grid Modernization Initiative - Multi-Year Program Plan,” Nov. 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/documents/GMI%20Multi-Year%20Program%20Plan%20-%20November%202016.pdf
  6. International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), “IEC 62855:2021 - Framework for holistic power system resilience,” 2021. [Online]. Available: https://webstore.iec.ch/publication/66141

 

This article was edited by Melkior Ornik.

To view all articles in this issue, please go to April 2023 eNewsletter. For a downloadable copy, please visit the IEEE Smart Cities Resource Center.

Masoud Barati pic
Masoud Barati (Senior Member, IEEE) earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA, in 2013. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, as well as the Industrial Engineering Department (by courtesy), at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. His research interests encompass resiliency assessment, artificial intelligence and deep learning, advanced optimization theory and mathematical modeling, and microeconomics.

 

Mohammad Ensaf pic                           
Mohammad Ensaf earned his Master's degree in Control System from Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, Iran in 2022. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Pittsburgh in the USA, his research focuses on the intersection of Deep Learning and Optimization in Power Systems and resiliency quantification.

IEEE Smart Cities Publications Journals and Magazines Special Issues

This web page displays the effort of IEEE Smart Cities Publications Committee in proposing and guest editing special issues for IEEE Journals and Magazines which is of interests to IEEE Smart Cities Community. Please click here to view.

Past Issues

To view archived articles, and issues, which deliver rich insight into the forces shaping the future of the smart cities. Older eNewsletter can be found here. To download full issues, visit the publications section of the IEEE Smart Cities Resource Center.