Wireless AMI application and security for controlled home area networks

Compared to the conventional grid, the smart grid requires active participation of consumers to improve the quality and reliability of power delivery. Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), commonly known as the smart meter, which has the capability of supporting various functions beyond that of recording energy usage, will facilitate this expected increase in consumer participation. Another primary benefit of AMI is load and cost management for the utility. AMI requires a reliable communication system between the smart meter and consumer equipment. This paper identifies wireless networking solutions such as ZigBee as the best mode for such communication. Due to the shared nature of the wireless medium, however, these deployments face security challenges and interference issues. These must be addressed, taking into account the interests of both the utility and the consumer. This paper takes a comprehensive look at wireless security in the AMI based home-area network by identifying a wide range of possible vulnerabilities. Countermeasures that can be used by both the utility company as well as the customer are developed.