Grid Vulnerability Leads Defense Department to Microgrids
By SGN Staff
Aug 23, 2010 - 1:58:41 PM

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The Department of Defense is getting into SPIDERS: Smart Power Infrastructure Demonstration for Energy Reliability and Security, that is. It's a demonstration project DOD and others are setting up to integrate Smart Grid technologies in a defensible microgrid that can run independently of the primary electric grid for long stretches of

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time. The DOD issued a request for information for the demonstration on behalf of its Pacific and Northern commands, according to an article published by FierceGovernmentIT. Finding that the electric grid has an unacceptably high risk of long-term power outages that could make military installations and their critical infrastructures vulnerable, the DOD wants to establish a secure microgrid to shield its operations from power failures. The focus of the project will be on enhanced efficiency and power distribution that incorporates different types and combinations of energy sources, including renewables, and of course, cyber security. The two DOD commands will be part of a collaborative effort that includes the Department of Homeland Security, the Energy Department and private business.

 

Quick Take: If nothing else, this microgrid demonstration underscores the critical importance of security and reliability for the electric grid — and unfortunately — how weak the current grid really is.

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