Power substation is one of the important elements in any electrical generation, transmission and distribution ecosystem. This element plays a key role in ensuring effective distribution of electricity to cities and homes, and it is critical to have a robust Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS).
Innovation-driven and objective-led, our PIDS specialises in the security of critical infrastructures. Our suite of state-of-the-art perimeter protection systems provide a gamut of intelligent protection and surveillance solutions that will help safeguard key installations and assets, and protect human lives.
Substations are located either in wide-open fields, far away from population or in suburban zones in highly populated areas. Due to the wide spread of these substations in a city or country, infrequent security visits to the sites were common and only when problems emerge will security take action.
Cases of wildlife trespassing substations have been rising. In the process of rampaging the substation, these animals may end up harming themselves and damaging high-value equipment within the compound.
Copper, an efficient conductor of electricity, runs within the substations cables. Thieves have and will continue to trespass into substations and remove those valuable cables, resulting in a loss of power. Constant replacement of copper cables is uneconomical and every second in a power loss situation means that the utility company generates less income. There is an estimated loss due to damages and thieves amounting to at least US$ 1 Billion a year.
Substations need to minimise their losses, and prevent such incidents from taking place. Having a fence surrounding their perimeter was insufficient; thieves could climb over and wildlife ramps through it.
Wind, rain, snow, storms affect the false alarm rates in a PIDS. A trade-off is usually made by decreasing the sensitivity of the PIDS. However, this meant that when an intruder climbs the fence, be it free-hand or using a leaning ladder, the real-life intrusion will not be detected.
To be able to perform with more than 95% detection rate for all relevant intrusion/tamper scenarios.
Maintain low nuisance alarm rates at all areas while preserving high probability of detection.
To achieve pinpoint accuracy of more than 5-meters.
One PIDS solution to be deployable on a variety of perimeter infrastructures, including temporary ones. Ability to minimise system downtime when perimeter line is being expanded or constructed.
The need to integrate seamlessly to existing Integrated Security Management System (ISMS).
The PIDS can be implemented on a variety of fence types; chain-linked, welded-mesh, palisade and solid wall.
It is a one-step deployment of securing a single pass of PIDS sensor cables with high-grade PVC cable ties onto perimeter fencing. There is no electronics and power supply in the field, so there is no fear for any sort for electro-magnetic and radio frequency interference.
An open-loop system coupled with the flexibility of the sensor cables deployment, segregates the sensor cables into channels. Each channel acts independently without affecting others. This addressed the scenario of perimeter expansion, where the user may remove or disarm a singular channel for fence construction or removal without fully compromising the power substation’s entire perimeter security.
The proprietary signal processing software has the ability to adapt and adjust automatically to different environmental factors and weather elements, reducing nuisance alarm rates without comprising the integrity of the system’s intrusion sensitivity.
Fibre sensor spacing is customised to the perimeter length and type of perimeter infrastructure, and the sensor accuracy for pinpointing an intrusion location range is typically more than 5-meters. The Integrated Perimeter Alarm Management System (iPAMS) is paired with PIDS, which is capable of interacting with the power substation’s existing CCTV and ISMS.
The power substation is equipped with PIDS, using advanced fibre-based sensors embedded in fibre optics cable and mounted on existing fences. Intrusions such as climbing, cutting of fence, tampering of cable, unnatural disturbance on the fence will be detected by the system and immediately notified the security personnel.
Validated by various institutes such as the UK Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure and Safe Skies, the PIDS has proven its effectiveness when deployed in different scenarios ranging from substations to airfields, and the capability to cater robust perimeter security to any facility.
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