The security manager of an electricity or water utility is usually based at their company headquarters in one particular town or city. But they will be responsible for managing security systems across hundreds of miles of the energy grid and protecting a group of generators and substations spread across large parts of the country. These sites are often remote, with wide perimeters, and occasionally they are difficult to reach and access, making them vulnerable to attack.
Employing a security guard around the clock to protect each part of the network is costly and in most cases not feasible.
Theft costs the utilities sector millions of pounds every year. Metal – particularly copper – commands a high price on the black market, making it an attractive commodity for thieves and utilities are currently investing heavily in public awareness campaigns designed to engage the public in stamping out this activity.
Last year Scottish Power offered a £10,000 reward to anyone able to provide information that led to a metal theft conviction. Thames Water has previously put the cost of replacing stolen connections, cables and fittings at £1.2 million.
Then there is vandalism. Mindless and wanton destruction of power cabling, electricity substations and other outlying parts of the grid is – unfortunately – a reality of life. However, governments are applying heavy pressure on utilities to protect themselves against vandalism to avoid disrupting services vital to the public. UK regulation forces utilities to pay fines if supply disruption takes place that was “reasonably preventable”.
The financial cost can hurt the bottom line and the reputational damage can – particularly in liberalised energy markets – increase switching rates and customer churn. It is no wonder the issue of security is slowly making its way on to the boardroom table.
In December last year over 37,000 homes in London were left without broadband access after thieves lifted a manhole cover and stole a large quantity of copper cable.
In today’s digital era, an incident of this magnitude can be a disaster for the telecoms operator and its customers, particularly for those businesses that depend on the internet to manage their operations. Despite the high investments in infrastructure made by the telecoms operator to restore the service after the disruption and the compensation fees for customers, its reputational damage among existing and potential customers was substantial.
So how can security directors at utility companies keep all isolated areas protected, during the day and at night, without spending huge amounts of money?
A potential solution is integrated security technology. A combined access control, alarm monitoring and video surveillance system helps security managers control an enterprise-wide security system from a central location while maintaining local autonomy.
Integrated technology is especially useful for utilities that need to ensure people, valuable equipment and facilities are safe against events that prevent a plant from operating at full capacity.
Video analytics and cloud-based technologies used to monitor plants, substations, generators or any other facilities situated in distant locations can also save time and resources. Compared with conventional motion detection, video analytics technology is useful in scenarios where the security team is not physically present because it is able to anticipate behaviour that might lead to theft: a group of individuals loitering in an area, people climbing a fence, or the unauthorised flow of vehicles into restricted areas.
Data retrieved by video analytics solutions helps security managers take real-time, informed decisions to allocate security resources appropriately.
By analysing CCTV images and individuals’ behaviour based on certain patterns, security teams can assess the scale and gravity of an incident without sending a security guard to the site, reducing time-consuming site visits and minimising business disruption and inconvenience. An example might be judging whether an individual is trying to break into a building, or if one of their possessions – a hat or a scarf, say – blew off and landed near the utility’s property.
Cloud video and access control solutions can be easily deployed via network technology and are ideally positioned to contribute to cost-effective and easy-to-manage remote security solutions. Only the necessary hardware needs to be installed on-site at remote locations. These remote locations are secured by a monitoring station, which has access via central servers.
The utility sector is one of the most regulated industries globally, and the risks of failing to comply with legislation are grave. Moreover, recent government initiatives focused on critical infrastructure protection have added a further burden to electricity, water and telecoms companies.
Again, there are tools available to ease the yoke of regulation. Security systems that automatically generate reports to meet the demands of Sarbanes Oxley and other regulations can remove the need for managers to constantly audit and reassess the company’s compliance in the security arena.
These solutions are also capable of quickly accessing relevant data and delivering compliance reports at the push of a button. In addition, partnering with trusted manufacturers with a reputation for quality is an important part of guaranteeing compliance with security standards and guidelines.
By investing in integrated video analytics and cloud-based security systems, utilities can simplify the management of a wider network of plants, distribution systems, substations and offices.
Daniel Wan, UK channel marketing manager, Honeywell Security