Is offline testing in power systems safe anymore from cyber intrusion?

In this episode of Energy Talks,** Christopher Pritchard**, who is head of product management at OMICRON, maintains that the common belief that offline equals security just does not hold up anymore. Christopher has been focused on improving the cybersecurity of OMICRON power system testing devices and is very familiar with the cyber risks posed by offline testing. He explains how malware can infiltrate even disconnected systems and be passed on to the substation as soon as these systems are connected to the network.

Lastly, Christopher describes how new cybersecurity features are being added to the latest generation of testing solutions, such as OMICRON’s CMC 500 protection testing device, to make offline testing less of a risk factor for digital substations.

Whether you're testing today or planning for the future, this episode urges you to rethink assumptions and adopt smarter, more cyber secure testing practices.

Get more information about OMICRON’s CMC 500

In recent episodes of Energy Talks, we have been looking at next-generation power system testing solutions as ecosystems, like the new OMICRON CPX 200, Its ecosystem is made up of interrelated parts, such as compact and lightweight hardware, modular companion devices, as well as the latest innovations in performance, software, safety and data analysis. These parts work together to highly optimize the testing experience for users.

In this episode, we take a more detailed look at one of these parts – testing device modularity.

OMICRON product manager Jakob Hämmerle describes how device modularity greatly enhances flexibility and efficiency in power system testing and enables users to adapt to their evolving power system testing needs.

Jakob focuses on the role of the modular OMICRON HVX10 high-voltage companion device for the CPX 200 and how it enables users to perform different types of tests when needed with greater flexibility.

Lastly, Jakob highlights the importance of user feedback in optimizing testing device modularity during the development process.

More information about CPX 200: CPX 200 is made for you

We welcome your questions and feedback. Simply email us to [email protected].

In this episode of Energy Talks, Marcus Stenner, who is an experienced field engineer and CEO at the power system testing service provider Hubert Göbel GmbH in Germany, discusses safety essentials during electrical testing in the field.

Marcus talks about the importance of making safety preparations before arriving at the testing site, including staff qualifications, risk assessments, and mandatory device and safety training. He also describes how the implementation of safety measures optimizes power system testing workflows.

Specifically, Marcus highlights the advanced safety features in the latest generation of OMICRON testing technology, such as the CMC 500 protection testing device. These built-in safety features include a status light, operational mode button, interlock key, and safety link interface. Marcus shares practical use cases from the field and explains how each of these features optimizes testing safety and efficiency.

Lastly, Marcus describes how important customer feedback and field experience are for developing effective safety features in the latest generation of testing devices.

This is an important episode to listen to for anyone working in high-voltage environments.

More information about the CMC 500.

We welcome your questions and feedback. Simply email us to [email protected].

If you listened to our last episode #112, you joined us for a fictional but informative quiz show, called Power Titans. With the help of our contestants, we identified which innovative features should be included in the ideal, future-proof solution for power system testing to match user requirements now and well into the future. This perfect solution is now reality.

In this episode of Energy Talks, OMICRON product manager Michael Rädler talks about how the growing feedback from users to optimize the way testing is performed on electrical equipment has led to the development of the CPX 200, the next-generation multifunctional power system testing technology launched by OMICRON.

Michael describes how a user-centric design process and an ecosystem approach to product development resulted in the innovative hardware, modularity, performance, software, safety and data analysis features found in the new CPX 200, which sets new standards in power system testing to meet customer requirements well into the future. Michael emphasizes how the collaborative spirit among users, designers and developers made it possible to introduce such a revolutionary testing solution.

Find out more about the OMICRON CPX 200 here.

We welcome your questions and feedback. Simply email us to [email protected].

The stakes are high when trying to identify the right set of features for the

So, to find out which innovative features will meet customer requirements in an ideal future-proof testing device, we thought it to be a fun idea to join a high stakes quiz show, called Power Titans, with typical users as contestants who explain their requirements and desired features in various categories, including hardware, modularity, software, performance, data analysis, and safety.

The contestants engage in a lively exchange as they collectively identify the innovative features included in the ideal device for the future of power system testing. Enjoy!

We welcome your questions and feedback. Simply email us to [email protected].

In this episode, hosted by OMICRON OT cybersecurity expert** Simon Rommer**, we explore the critical roles of IT and OT in power systems cybersecurity, focusing on security risk assessments from a design and construction perspective. *Jose Paredes*, Regional Engineering Manager at H&MV Engineering, discusses the importance of bridging the knowledge gap between IoT and electrical engineering, as well as the necessity of integrating cybersecurity into the design process from the outset.

The conversation highlights the challenges of managing client expectations, compliance, and procurement in the context of cybersecurity, as well as the impact of latency on project success.

Jose emphasizes the need for effective partnerships and thorough risk assessments to navigate the complexities of cybersecurity in power systems.

For more information about advanced cybersecurity for OT environments, please visit our website.

We welcome your questions and feedback. Simply send us an email to [email protected].

In previous episodes of Energy Talks, we have spoken with experts about the benefits of performing partial discharge (PD) testing and monitoring. A detected level of PD activity is a good indication of the current and future health of power equipment insulation. It is also a reliable way to detect developing insulation defects that can cause equipment failure as well as unplanned and costly outages.

In this episode, Daniel Gebhardt, who is an OMICRON PD expert and PD monitoring solutions product manager, describes the various methods of performing PD measurements and monitoring, their challenges and benefits, the types of information they provide, and how they are used together to determine the insulation condition of electrical assets. Specifically, he explains why there is a growing trend of performing online PD monitoring and online diagnostic PD measurements to determine insulation health while electrical assets are in operation.

Lastly, Daniel describes how the use of a terminal box supports this growing trend of performing online condition assessments of electrical assets by enabling testing engineers to safely and easily connect PD measurement and monitoring equipment to electrical assets in operation without requiring a time-intensive and costly service outage for setup.

More information can be found here: Online Partial Discharge Monitoring

We welcome your questions and feedback. Simply send us an email to [email protected].

In this episode, OMIRCON OT Security expert **Simon Rommer **speaks with Thomas Weber, who is an Embedded Security Specialist at CyberDanube , a developer of customized security testing solutions based in Vienna, Austria. Thomas shares his extensive experience in offensive security, particularly in operational technology (OT) environments.

Simon and Thomas discuss the challenges and methodologies involved in testing critical infrastructure such as power plants, emphasizing the importance of understanding device vulnerabilities, network segmentation, and the implications of physical access to devices.

Thomas also describes how to uncover even the most hidden vulnerabilities, including zero-day threats and blind spots, for ensuring robust protection of OT systems and infrastructures. The conversation also highlights the significance of thorough reporting and vulnerability disclosure in enhancing overall cybersecurity.

For more information about advanced cybersecurity for OT environments, please visit our website .

We welcome your questions and feedback. Simply send us an email to [email protected].

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In this episode, we speak with Vik Chaudhry. He is the co-founder, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer of Buzz Solutions, a global provider of proven visual intelligence solutions used to inspect, maintain, and secure energy infrastructure.

Vik shares his insights into the transformative and highly effective ways that AI and computer vision can and are being used to handle big data and greatly optimize predictive analytics in the energy sector.

Vik highlights the challenges faced by electrical utilities in managing their changing and expanding infrastructures and the importance of adopting AI and computer vision as a logical next step to meet these challenges. Vik also describes how he and his team at Buzz Solutions are currently helping power utility companies bridge the gap between data and the insights that can be gained to help them cut costs, accelerate time-to-maintenance and reduce the risk of grid infrastructure failure. Using actual case studies, Vik explains how AI and computer vision are being applied in the energy sector and offers practical tips for implementing them effectively and with greater confidence.

In our Energy Talks podcast series, we have covered the benefits of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for effective data analysis and decision-making in power systems. This continues to be a very current and important topic for electrical power utility companies worldwide.

Also related:

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In this episode of Energy Talks, we speak with Juanita Dominguez. Based in Erlangen, Germany, she is an OMICRON applications engineer and behind-the-scenes expert in protection testing for electrical substations. Juanita studied electrical engineering and began her career in protection testing in her native Columbia before joining OMICRON.

Juanita shares her insights into the critical role of protection devices and testing their performance in electrical power systems, as well as the importance of providing product development teams with feedback about protection testing device performance in the field. She also shares her personal journey into the field of electrical engineering and protection testing.

Juanita describes the challenges she has faced in protection testing, highlights memorable projects that taught her what she knows, and offers valuable tips for aspiring engineers wanting to pursue a similar career. Juanita also explains why she thinks protection testing is an exact science and why she considers protection devices to be the brains of the power system. Lastly, Juanita highlights future trends in protection testing and the growing significance of maintaining safety and reliability in rapidly changing power systems.

More information about protection testing.

We welcome your questions and feedback. Simply send us an email to [email protected]. Please join us to listen to the next episode of Energy Talks.