Case Study: Thales builds the UK’s first smart grid cybersecurity lab with Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL)

Thales builds the UK’s first smart grid cybersecurity lab with SEL in under 30 minutes

Thales, a multinational corporation specializing in aerospace, defense, and digital security, faced the challenge of securing the UK's critical energy infrastructure. They needed a facility where utility operators could safely test security controls and understand vulnerabilities in their operational technology systems without risking real-world consequences. Partnering with Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL), they aimed to build the UK's first smart grid cybersecurity laboratory.

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories provided the technical design and equipment, including SEL relays and the OT software-defined networking (SDN) platform, to create a realistic IEC 61850 transmission substation environment. The resulting Smart Grid Laboratory allows utility teams to witness attack simulations and, more importantly, validate how solutions like OT SDN can block intrusions. This provides customers with a clear roadmap to improve their security posture, leaving with confidence and practical mitigation steps for their own systems.

Thales