Authentication of Smart Grid by Integrating QKD and Blockchain in SCADA Systems

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provides customers with utilities and smart grid solutions, enabling enhanced monitoring and control of energy management systems. This technology is poised to elevate the reliability, sustainability, and efficiency of future electric grids through the implementation of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). However, current Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems lack trusted machine authentication in smart grid communications, leaving the electric grid vulnerable to cyberattacks via sophisticated network technologies such as wireless access points, sensors, routers, and gateways. Therefore, ensuring proper management of data integrity from field sensors is crucial to enhance the reliability of SCADA systems. In this context, the utilization of quantum key distribution (QKD) key pairs is proposed to uphold integrity in smart grid communications. This paper presents a fibre optic blockchain network designed to manage and utilize cryptographic keys, facilitating the authentication of peer-to-peer (P2P) communications in SCADA systems. This demonstration underscores the feasibility of employing QKD and blockchain to further strengthen the integrity and authentication of smart grid communications. Additionally, this paper delves into discussing the performance metrics and overhead expenses of the proposed scheme in comparison with existing state-of-the-art proposals. Simulation results highlight the significant impact of blockchain size on the system setup’s throughput and latency.