Privacy in Smart Metering Systems

For efficient and reliable electrical energy generation, distribution and demand side management, advanced control mechanisms have been introduced into the Smart Grid (SG). Smart electricity meters (SMs) are an essential component of the SG; they establish a two-way communication infrastructure and enable demand side management by responding to real-time pricing. However, SM readings can also reveal users' habits and behaviours as every electric appliance has its own detectable power consumption signature. Non-intrusive load monitoring techniques can be used for surveillance of users' activities in real-time. Hence, there is a significant tension between sharing data to empower SG mechanisms, and consumer privacy. Further, SM communications are vulnerable to security attacks spoofing or manipulating data and control messages, the orchestration of which at a large scale, may stress or crash the entire power network. This tutorial will provide a comprehensive overview of growing privacy threats to SMs and the smart grid in general. Potential attacks and their impact on the grid, and various privacy preservation solutions will be reviewed. We will provide both an academic and an industry perspective on the future of SMs, and the tools that can be employed to guarantee advanced SM functionality without threatening user privacy.