The University of the South Pacific has received a full patent registered with the Indian Patent Office for a system that addresses cyberattacks against power grids.

School of Information Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Physics Associate Professor in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and co-inventor, Dr Utkal Mehta collaborated with the National Institute of Technology in India and received the full patent registered with the Indian Patent Office.

Dr Utkal Mehta says this increasing reliance on electricity has made the stability of power grids a critical concern for regions such as Fiji.

He adds that this patent secures the intellectual property rights for its innovative design and functionality.

Mehta states that cyberattacks pose significant threats to the operational reliability of these grids, particularly in thermal power plants.

The Professor adds that a new system called the Tri-parametric Fractional Controller has been developed to address this challenge.

Mehta says that by effectively addressing the challenges posed by cyberattacks and ensuring grid stability, this innovative solution can contribute to a more resilient and efficient energy infrastructure in Fiji and other regions.

The inventor highlights the support of various sections was noteworthy as the school continued to break new ground in path-breaking areas of engineering.

This development holds significant potential for enhancing the security and reliability of power grids worldwide, including in Fiji.

The initial results were published in IEEE Journal https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10107704.