The Smart Grid: Managing Electrical Power Distribution and Use

The smart grid is the use of digital technology to modernize the power grid, which comes with some new privacy and security challenges.

The smart grid employs innovative products and services combined with intelligent monitoring, control, communication, and self-healing technologies to do the following:

• facilitate the connection and operation of generators of all sizes and technologies
• allow consumers to play a part in optimizing the operation of the system
• provide consumers with greater information and supply choices
• significantly reduce the environmental impact of the electricity supply system
• deliver enhanced levels of reliability and security of supply

More than meters and mobility, the smart grid represents a whole new framework for improved management of electric generation, transmission, and distribution. It also presents challenges. As a complex system, the smart grid requires special attention to issues of interoperability, security, and resiliency.

In this podcast, James Stevens, a senior researcher with CERT, discusses the growing digitization of electrical power distribution (referred to as the smart grid) and some of the related security and privacy issues. James also introduces new work at the SEI on a smart grid maturity model that will be discussed in more detail in upcoming podcasts.