Early Detection of Substation Threats With Radar Technology

Physical protection of electrical substations is much more critical than simply guarding against copper theft. Recent terrorist attacks on substations and the potential for simultaneous attacks across the U.S. puts the entire country at serious risk for major power interruption.

According to the New York Times, a Silicon Valley power substation has recently been attacked by snipers multiple times, despite increased security. A number of thieves cut through a fence and made off with power tools, a pipe bender, and ground compactors used to smooth out dirt after excavations. The substation had an alarm system in place but those alarms were not reacted to or addressed in an appropriate manner. The company said that it was the target of a well-organized attack. Attacks like these can disrupt service for an extended period of time.

Detection devices such as fence sensors, thermal cameras, and motion sensors all provide some warning against such attacks but are all limited in their ability to detect threats outside the fence line. Convergint partners with Milestone and SpotterRF to provide Compact Surveillance Radar (CSR), integrated with PTZ cameras, which provides early warning detection and identification of threats both inside and outside the fence line.

CSR radically reduces the risk of repeat attacks and ensures that security personnel have 100% coverage in all weather conditions, both day and night. This small radar packs up to 300 acres of radar tracking power into a 4lb device to detect ground or aerial threats beyond the fence line and alert security before an attack ever happens. CSR coordinates visual, thermal, and motion detection to provide the most thorough, never-blind, surveillance available. Talk to a Convergint utilities security expert about this solution.