Rourkela: A multi-institutional team led by National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela has developed an algorithm to bolster cyber resilience and stability in microgrids, the localised power systems that play a crucial role in global energy transition.
The research spearheaded by Pravat Kumar Ray, professor and head of the Department of Electrical Engineering at NIT Rourkela, introduces a Modified Improved Whale Optimisation (MIWO) algorithm. The method draws inspiration from the hunting strategies of humpback whales, which use bubble-net feeding by circling fi sh and releasing bubbles to trap them.
Microgrids integrate renewable sources such as solar and wind power with storage and traditional generators. While vital to clean energy adoption, these systems rely heavily on digital communication networks, leaving them vulnerable to cyber threats such as false data injection and time-delay attacks.
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To counter these risks, the team developed a Modified Improved Whale Optimisation–based Fractional Order PID (MIWO-FOPID) controller. This system ensures robust secondary frequency regulation during cyberattacks and fluctuations in energy storage systems. Fractional Order PID is an advanced form of the classic proportional-integral-derivative controller that allows more precise tuning for complex systems, while MIWO enhances optimisation by improving accuracy, speed, and the ability to avoid errors when searching for solutions.
“In modern microgrids, communication networks act as the primary medium for information exchange among different components, thereby increasing their vulnerability to cyberattacks,” Ray said.
“These include time-delay attacks, where information from sensors or controllers is intentionally delayed, and false data injection, where attackers manipulate system data to mislead control actions, potentially causing instability. To address these challenges, the proposed algorithm incorporates multiple advanced enhancements, including an adaptive strategy with dynamically tuned control parameters and a multi-phase exploitation mechanism.”
The MIWO-FOPID controller minimises frequency deviations by optimising the cost function under scenarios including time-delay attacks, false data injection, random attacks, energy storage system status manipulation, and malware intrusions. Both computer simulations and real-world hardware experiments confirmed that the approach ensures resilient microgrid frequency control and maintains system stability under hostile conditions.
The research findings were published in IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics in a paper co-authored by Ray; Ramesh Chandra Khamari, research scholar at NIT Rourkela; Manoj Kumar Senapati of the Government College of Engineering, Keonjhar; and Sanjeevikumar Padmanaban of University of South-Eastern Norway.
This breakthrough enhances the safety and reliability of modern power systems, enabling microgrids to maintain stable operations even under cyberattacks.
PNN
