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Multi-timescale Reinforcement Security on Cyber-Physical Smart Grids: Design, Monitoring, and Operation

Project description

Securing the future of digital energy systems

Modern smart grids are evolving into complex systems by integrating renewable energy, but this transition increases vulnerability to large-scale blackouts and targeted cyberattacks. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the MRSSG project aims to address these urgent risks, by securing power infrastructures through a novel three-tier framework. By employing advanced deep learning to detect cyber threats and distributed control laws to mitigate real-time disturbances, the project will ensure reliable grid operations. Additionally, it will introduce autonomous controllers to maintain physical stability. The project’s goal is to provide open-source algorithms and implementation guidelines, ultimately safeguarding essential services and supporting Europe’s journey towards a sustainable, secure and digitally integrated energy future.

Objective

The rapid integration of distributed energy resources (DERs), renewable generation, and advanced communication technologies is transforming modern smart grids into complex cyber-physical systems (CPS). While these developments enhance efficiency and flexibility, they also expose power infrastructures to escalating cyber and physical threats, as highlighted by recent large-scale blackouts and targeted cyberattacks in Europe. Ensuring the resilience of CPS-based smart grids is therefore of urgent societal, economic, and scientific importance. This project, Multi-timescale Reinforcement Security on Cyber-Physical Smart Grids (MRSSG), proposes a novel three-tier security framework spanning long-, mid-, and short-term timescales. At the cyber level, the project will design spatiotemporal deep learning algorithms to detect heterogeneous attacks—including stealth, denial-of-service, replay, and false data injection—by capturing both dynamic power flow variations and network topology features. At the operational level, distributed attack-resilient control with adaptive laws will be developed to mitigate real-time disturbances and preserve reliable grid operations without reliance on centralized structures. At the physical level, a canonical self-disciplined stabilization controller will be established to guarantee large-signal stability across diverse DER converters, enabling autonomous plug-and-play resilience without disclosing sensitive system parameters. By addressing critical knowledge gaps in multi-timescale detection, mitigation, and stabilization, MRSSG will strengthen the security and reliability of European smart grids under extensive cyber-physical risks. The outcomes will contribute new theoretical foundations, open-source algorithms, and practical implementation guidelines, ensuring robust protection for essential services and supporting Europe's transition toward a sustainable, secure, and digitally integrated energy future.

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF

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Coordinator

THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 260 347,92
Address
TRINITY LANE THE OLD SCHOOLS
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom

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Region
East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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