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The rapid integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is transforming the traditional electrical grid into a Smart Grid. Smart grids enable two-way communication and improved monitoring and control between utilities and customers. However, due to its heterogeneous nature, public exposure, and weak security at low-powered devices, the smart grid has vulnerabilities to various malicious threats, adversaries, and cyber attacks, which may affect cost and service availability. Additionally, when the systems’ confidentiality, integrity, or availability are compromised, the resulting fallout can threaten national security and have cascading effects on human lives. Given the extreme consequences of an attack, smart-grid technology must be thoroughly tested for correct operation and security before it is deployed. As a result, vulnerability testing of smart grids, not only for correctness but for security purposes, has been the subject of numerous studies by academics, government agencies, and private companies. The survey identifies key cyber and physical vulnerabilities that pose significant risks to load management applications and overall grid stability. It also presents a broad spectrum of potential cyber threats and attacks targeting the grid with various mitigation techniques and spotlights simulation as the vulnerability testing methodology conducted in recent pertinent research works. Finally, we analyze the gaps in the current research, focusing on integrating cybersecurity analysis in simulation. We then recommend future research directions focused on smart grid cyber ranges.

This paper proposes a direct power control scheme for an offshore wind turbine-driven surface-mounted permanent magnet synchronous generator with a full back-to-back converter situated onshore to decentralize the weight of the turbine. The proposed model is designed in a stationary reference frame and does not require a phase-locked loop as opposed to the traditional vector current control method. Simple feed-forward and feedback control loops are used in the proposed model to extract the maximum available wind power, maintain constant voltage at the coupling DC link, and ensure power injection into the electric network at unity power factor. Simulation results carried out in MATLAB/SIMULINK show that the proposed model has a fast transient response and steady-state performance consistent with the vector current control model. Furthermore, eigenvalue analysis results demonstrate that the proposed method’s performance is robust to variations in different system parasitic elements, even under both stiff and weak electric network conditions. These results also indicate that the back-to-back converter can operate effectively when located onshore close to the load center while the turbine is in close proximity offshore. This can be suitable for multiple specific offshore applications as it can potentially reduce the overall weight, volume, and cost of the offshore wind turbine infrastructure.