Software-defined networking-enabled rapid recovery for concurrent cyber–physical faults in cyber–physical power systems

As power systems evolve into deeply integrated cyber–physical power systems (CPPS), isolated system failures are increasingly transforming into becoming coupled faults across both the cyber and physical domains. During the restoration process, focusing solely on a single system, thus neglecting the CPPS’s various interdependencies, can lead to longer recovery times, secondary outages, or frequency violations. In this paper, we proposed a rapid recovery method for concurrent cyber–physical faults based on software-defined networking (SDN). First, the coupling mechanism between the physical and information systems for the grid in question was analyzed to investigate how communication failures constrain the restoration times of the generators and loads. A temporal coordination model for CPPS recovery was then established under the SDN architecture. A staged and iterative recovery strategy comprising “SDN re-routing, manual repair, and dynamic updates was proposed to coordinate the concurrent restoration of both the communication and power systems, thereby reducing any additional outage times during manual operations. Finally, to minimize outage losses, a coordinated optimization model was developed for the power and communication networks, in order to determine the best sequence in which to restore power delivery to the various loads. A commercially available software application was then used to find the most efficient solution. Virtual simulation results of the approach, based on the IEEE 30-bus system, demonstrated that our proposed method reduced outage losses by 9.23% and shortened the average recovery time by 8.6% vs traditional approaches, validating its efficacy for this application. • An SDN-based architecture quantifies the impact of communication delays on recovery. • A strategy integrates SDN rerouting, repair, and updates to cut outage time. • An SDN-coupled model optimizes the recovery sequence to shorten outage time.