Cyber-Physical Vulnerability Assessment of P2P Energy Exchanges in Active Distribution Networks

TL;DR

This paper develops a resilience-oriented P2P energy exchange model for active distribution networks, assessing cyber-physical vulnerabilities introduced by malicious prosumers and consumers in IoT-enabled energy trading.

Contribution

It introduces a new vulnerability assessment framework for P2P energy trading considering cyber-physical threats in unbalanced distribution systems.

Findings

Adverse prosumers can disrupt grid operation and maximize personal benefits.

Cyber-physical attacks can cause financial losses to other agents.

The model demonstrates the importance of resilience in P2P energy exchanges.

Abstract

Owing to the decreasing costs of distributed energy resources (DERs) as well as decarbonization policies, power systems are undergoing a modernization process. The large deployment of DERs together with internet of things (IoT) devices provide a platform for peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading in active distribution networks. However, P2P energy trading with IoT devices have driven the grid more vulnerable to cyber-physical threats. To this end, in this paper, a resilience-oriented P2P energy exchange model is developed considering three phase unbalanced distribution systems. In addition, various scenarios for vulnerability assessment of P2P energy exchanges considering adverse prosumers and consumers, who provide false information regarding the price and quantity with the goal of maximum financial benefit and system operation disruption, are considered. Techno-economic survivability analysis against these attacks are investigated on a IEEE 13-node unbalanced distribution test system. Simulation results demonstrate that adverse peers can affect the physical operation of grid, maximize their benefits, and cause financial loss of other agents.