SDN in SCADA Based System for Power Utilities: A Case Study of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited SCADA System

Objectives: Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems are used to manage and monitor the flow of powers through transmission lines, substation and control points. In this paper, we have considered the use of Software Defined Networking (SDN) as an approach to assist in the modernization of existing traditional SCADA systems taking Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited SCADA system as a case. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The use of Information and Communication Technology has enhanced the transforming process of the electric system and facilitated the efficient and reliable end to end intelligent bidirectional delivery system through integration of both energy sources renewable and non-renewable. The Software Defined Network Programming Languages Pyretic, Kinetic were used by the authors to study and compare the easiness of network programming languages. Moreover, a detailed study of SCADA system of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited was done in which inflexibility and insecure issues were found out. Findings: The traditional network of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) lacks flexibility and security mechanism. SDN-based SCADA system can facilitate robustness and flexible nature to the Power Grid Network Applications. SDN provides flexibility in form of vendor-free approach and various programming languages to configure the network as per one's need. Moreover, SDN with its distributed nature, keeping control plane away from the data plane has made it easy to monitor the network. Most of the programming languages for SDN use programming approach of standard computer language Python, thereby also making it easier for general programmers to make changes in the computer network as and when desired, which as of now is vendor specific and uses low level languages. Application/Improvements: SDN based SCADA system will provide six fold benefits to the existing system viz. Flexible System, Centralized System, Open Standards, Network Programming, Green Networking and Security.