The University of The South Pacific has secured a full patent from the Indian Patent Office for a system designed to counter cyberattacks targeting power grids.
Dr Utkal Mehta, the co- inventor and academic at the School of Information Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Physics (STEMP) collaborated with the National Institute of Technology India and received the full patent registered with the Indian Patent Office.
This patent protects the intellectual property rights for its innovative design and functionality.
Dr Utkal Mehta highlighted that continued dependence on electricity has made the stability of power grids a major concern for regions like Fiji.
“Cyberattacks pose significant threats to the operational reliability of these grids, particularly in thermal power plants. One of an engineer’s key roles is to identify problems in our society that can be solved with the help of engineering,” the Associate Professor in Electrical and Electronics Engineering said.
“By effectively addressing the challenges posed by cyberattacks and ensuring grid stability, this innovative solution can contribute to a more resilient and efficient energy infrastructure in Fiji and other regions.”
He added that the development of the Tri-parametric Fractional Controller (TFC) involved extensive research, simulations, and hardware-in-loop testing.
“Through rigorous evaluation, the system’s effectiveness in mitigating frequency fluctuations caused by cyberattacks and network delays was validated. The success of this novel result is attributed to world-class engineering lab facilities at USP’s Engineering faculty.”