Electrical Utilities

Protect Sites from Intrusions and Avoid Liability

Electrical utility assets are constantly at risk of attack, vandalism, and theft. There are also regulatory compliance concerns and the liability risk associated with trespassing. Senstar, with its broad portfolio of perimeter intrusion detection sensors, video management software, access control and video analytics, offers innovative, flexible solutions to protect electrical utility sites and improve resilience while meeting operational and regulatory requirements.

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Secure

  • Detect and deter intruders before they can enter restricted areas. 

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Maintain

  • Ensure system confidence with field-proven equipment that is simple to operate and maintain. 

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Integrate

  • Streamline operations by integrating intrusion detection, video surveillance, and access control. 

Perimeter Breaches

Perimeter breaches at electrical utilities can have serious consequences, including service interruptions, equipment damage, copper theft, and intruder fatalities. Most fences can be bypassed in seconds. By the time intruders are detected by a facility’s security system or personnel, it is often too late. Camera surveillance systems can assist in early detection, buy only if they know where to look. Early detection at the perimeter, be it from fence sensors or advanced outdoor video analytics, can provide the extra time required to engage deterrence devices or dispatch response forces. The precision location capabilities of Senstar sensors like FlexZone and FiberPatrol enable the automated targeting of high-powered PTZ cameras, letting remote operators accurately assess potential threats over a wide area.

Electrical utility site at night with perimeter fence to demonostrate Senstar's ability to protect electrical utility infrastructure from perimeter intrusions

Physical Security Regulations

To reduce the vulnerability of electrical infrastructure, governments and regulatory organizations are instituting critical infrastructure protection (CIP) programs. While these programs vary region to region, their overall purpose with regards to physical security remains the same: protecting electrical facilities from physical attacks that could threaten the stability and operation of the electric grid distribution system. These programs require operators to implement physical security measures that collectively deter, detect, delay, assess, communicate, and respond to potential threats and vulnerabilities.

  • Electrical Utility NERC CIP Application Guide (PDF)
  • Electrical Utility International Application Guide (PDF)
Electrical utility site in a remote area

Senstar Solutions

Protecting Remote Sites

Senstar sensors and video management software can not only deter intruders but can improve situational awareness for remote monitoring personnel:

  • Automatically engage deterrence devices like security lights, intercoms, or sirens
  • Direct PTZ cameras to the intrusion location and auto-track intruders within restricted areas
  • Provide local security forces with still images or live video via email, SMS, or mobile apps
  • Avoid nuisance alarms by rejecting distributed events generated by environmental conditions
  • Avoid unnecessary maintenance visits with hardware redundancy and comprehensive remote management software

Security System Integration

Senstar sensors work with virtually all security systems. Software integrations are available for industry standard video and security management systems, while built-in I/O capabilities ensure that sensors can report zone, supervision, and equipment status events to on-site intrusion panels or alarm systems. Sophisticated aggregation capabilities enable sensor data to be linked and integrated with SCADA systems. For remote, unmanned sites with limited network connectivity (such as cellular or satellite-based communications), bandwidth requirements are minimized and local fallback options are available.

Scalable Video Management

The Senstar Symphony VMS is ideal for organizations that manage camera deployments of all sizes, and those with geographically distributed or remote sites. Senstar Symphony supports edge-based video storage, ensuring critical video is not lost in case of a communications failure, while the Senstar Enterprise Manager remotely monitors the camera health and firmware upgrades. Senstar software is licensed per-camera, meaning you only pay for what you need and can easily expand in the future.

Multi-Layered Protection

Senstar products are designed to work together to provide comprehensive, multi-layered protection. For example, Senstar video analytics can identify authorized maintenance vehicles and temporarily mask gate alarms while outdoor analytics can direct PTZ cameras to record high-definition video of potential intruders before they trigger a fence sensor. In addition to new security capabilities, all events can be managed from single software interface that improves respond times and reduces training requirements.

Sites Adjacent Residential or Wildlife Areas

A well-lit site is standard security practice. But for electrical utility sites located adjacent to residential neighborhoods or protected wildlife, light pollution can be a major concern. Senstar offers several solutions, including intelligent lighting that offers dimmable, targeted illumination along the fence line as well as thermal camera support for use with outdoor people and vehicle tracking analytics.

A Broad Portfolio for Site-Specific Solutions

Recognizing that different electrical utility operators face different security requirements, Senstar offers a wide range of video management, perimeter intrusion detection, access control, and video analytic solutions. Individually, they provide best-in-class protection; used in combination, they form an integrated, multi-layered solution.

Render of perimeter intrusion detection and video management products protecting an electrical utility site

Experience Matters

Senstar’s extensive portfolio of solutions can be found protecting electrical utility sites of all sizes worldwide, providing effective, scalable, and sustainable solutions that meet budgetary and operational requirements.