This document is a deliverable of the ”Cyber-Physical Risk of the bulk Electric Energy Supply System” (CYPRESS) project. The work presented in this document has been performed in the frame of the second task (T2.2) of the second work package WP2, titled ”Co-simulation of cyber-physical transmission systems”. The objective of CYPRESS WP2 is to develop a coherent methodology for the ex ante assessment of cyber-physical risks. It is based on i) the development of the mathematical and computational models of both the physical and the cyber parts of the system, ii) the design of a co-simulation platform where simulators of the electric power system physical behavior and of the ICT software and hardware layers are coupled, and iii) the development of an assessment methodology able to screen and identify the most important cyber-physical threats and compute the most informative performance indicators for reliability, resilience and cyber-security as defined in Task 1 of WP1.
Within this framework, T2.2 seeks at presenting the design and implementation of a co-simulation platform aimed at analyzing cyber-physical interactions within electrical power systems. The work addresses the critical challenge of understanding how cyber contingencies, such as network delays, packet losses, and cyber-attacks, can impact the stability and security of modern power grids.
The increasing integration of cyber components, including communication networks, control systems, and intelligent devices, introduces new vulnerabilities, making it essential to develop tools that capture the interplay between physical and cyber domains. Task 2.2 addresses this need by providing a unified framework that integrates key simulation tools and methodologies.
Chapter 2 introduces the context of cyber-physical systems and highlights the challenges of understanding the interactions between power system dynamics and cyber infrastructures. It provides a detailed analysis of the problem and describes the overall architecture of the co-simulation platform.
The platform integrates HELICS to synchronize the time-driven power system simulation, Dynawo, with our event-driven network simulations, OMNeT++. This synchronization ensures accurate modeling of interactions between the power and cyber domains. The platform also incorporates libiec61850, which emulates substation communication protocols like GOOSE and MMS. Furthermore, libiec61850 replicates the internal logic of smart substation devices, supporting configuration utilities based on real-world practices, such as parsing and using Substation Configuration Description (SCD) files.
Chapter 3 focuses on the implementation and validation of the co-simulation platform. The platform has been developed up to the level of simulating the process bus, enabling the relay of measurements and real-time control data between simulated substation components. A single validation scenario has been implemented to demonstrate the platform’s functionality, focusing on the accurate synchronization of 3 simulations and the seamless exchange of data between power system and communication domains. While comprehensive cyber-physical scenarios, such as cyber-attacks or extensive communication disruptions, have not yet been implemented, this validation confirms the core principles of co-simulation and establishes a foundation for future extensions.
The final chapter reflects on the outcomes of Task 2.2, emphasizing that while the current implementation focuses on the process bus, the principles and methodologies established provide a pathway for further development. Future work could extend the platform to encompass the station bus and beyond, enabling a more complete analysis of cyber-physical interactions across all layers of the power system. Additional efforts could also incorporate advanced validation scenarios, such as cyber-attack simulations or probabilistic risk assessments.
