Case study
Government & Defence
Secure, resilient timing for mission-critical communications, radar, UAVs and C4ISR.
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Case studyUtilities
Power Industry
Nanosecond-accurate synchronisation for grid stability, substation automation and renewable integration.
The increasing complexity of modern power grids — driven by renewable integration, distributed generation and rising cybersecurity threats — demands highly precise time synchronisation to maintain operational stability, efficiency and security. According to the International Energy Agency, Taiwan's energy demand is projected to grow by 25% by 2040. A major Taiwanese power utility deployed TimeBeat Open TimeCard technology to address persistent synchronisation errors causing phase mismatches, false alarms in protection relays, and excessive blackout duration.
“For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled.”
The challenge
Identified challenges
The utility's grid network suffered timing drifts of up to 120 milliseconds that resulted in inaccurate phase angle measurements, reducing the efficiency of grid balancing mechanisms and increasing the likelihood of cascading failures.
Synchronisation errors and grid instability
Timing drifts of up to 120 milliseconds resulted in inaccurate phase angle measurements, reducing the efficiency of grid balancing mechanisms and increasing the likelihood of cascading failures.
Delayed fault detection and response
Misaligned event logs and inaccurate timestamping meant relay protection systems failed to react in real-time to electrical faults, increasing the average blackout duration by 15%.
Compliance and operational risk
The company faced challenges in meeting IEC 61850 compliance requirements, with substation automation relying on outdated NTP systems that lacked the precision required for mission-critical applications.
Cybersecurity vulnerabilities
Existing timing systems were vulnerable to GPS spoofing attacks, which could manipulate timestamps and disrupt grid operations.
The solution
Implementation of a high-precision timing solution
The utility deployed a high-precision timing architecture incorporating TimeBeat Open TimeCard technology to achieve sub-nanosecond synchronisation across substations and control centres.
Step 01
Infrastructure assessment & upgrade
A comprehensive audit of existing timing architecture, identifying points of failure and assessing network latency.
Step 02
Deployment of Open TimeCard nodes
Installing highly accurate timing sources at strategic locations to provide IEEE 1588 PTP and GNSS-based synchronisation.
Step 03
SCADA & protection relay integration
Ensuring seamless interoperability with IEC 61850-compliant substation automation systems.
Step 04
Cybersecurity reinforcement
Implementing tamper-resistant timestamping and authentication mechanisms to safeguard against timing-related cyber threats.
Step 05
Testing & validation
Phased testing reduced synchronisation errors from 500 microseconds (legacy system) to sub-100 nanoseconds.
The results
By the numbers
120 ms → < 100 ns
Drift elimination
30%
Reduction in transmission losses
45%
Faster blackout resolution
17%
Renewable dispatch efficiency gain
Outcomes
01
Improved grid stability
Enhanced synchronisation accuracy led to a 30% reduction in transmission losses and improved system resilience against frequency fluctuations.
02
Optimised fault response time
Real-time fault detection improved blackout resolution by 45%, minimising operational downtime.
03
Regulatory compliance
The upgraded system fully complied with IEC 61850 and NERC standards, ensuring long-term stability and operational integrity.
04
Cybersecurity hardening
Secure, tamper-proof timestamps improved forensic analysis of security incidents, reducing vulnerability to GPS spoofing and cyber-physical attacks.
05
Enhanced renewable integration
Refined synchronisation capabilities facilitated a 17% increase in renewable energy dispatch efficiency, ensuring grid stability despite fluctuating solar and wind power inputs.
Conclusion
The deployment of TimeBeat Open TimeCard technology within the Taiwanese power generation sector underscores the essential role of high-precision timing in modern grid stability, security and efficiency. By mitigating synchronisation-related risks and enhancing fault response mechanisms, power utilities can future-proof their infrastructure against growing energy demands and evolving cybersecurity threats.
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In their words
Hear it from the team that built it
Three short clips from the engineers who deployed and operate this timing fabric — what worked, what surprised them, what they'd do differently.
Why timing matters for the grid
30 seconds from the operations manager.
What we replaced
The legacy fabric that came before.
The compliance angle
Auditing and the regulator conversation.
The infrastructure of time