Power Stations & Utilities

Power Stations and Utilities are vital elements of a state's infrastructure. Blackouts and shortages are at best inconvenient, and at worst contribute to loss of life and severe civil unrest. These facilities and the people who work in them need to be protected to the highest standard and at all times, failure to do so can lead to widespread and costly disruption.

Risks and threats include natural disasters such as earthquakes, severe weather and flooding, as well as sabotage, civil unrest, war and terrorism. In conflict zones insurgent groups regularly target power generation facilities in order to exercise control over the local population and administration.

Attacks on Power Stations and Utilities can take the form of physical attacks to buildings and people, or electronic attacks, either internally or via internet-facing computer-based networks.

Utilities such as water treatment plants and reservoirs are often in remote locations - attacks on such facilities can also have devastating consequences, particularly from bio-hazards.

Power Stations and Utilities can be protected using Perimeter Security, Surveillance Systems, Intruder Detection, Access & Entry Control and Ground Based Radar to prevent and detect unauthorised access and malicious damage. Westminster's Fibre Optic systems can be installed to detect any attempt to cut or climb a perimeter fence; optionally integrated with automated CCTV Surveillance which can be directed to the area of attack, centrally supervised by Control and Command systems.

Fire Detection and Suppression solutions help to protect personnel and property from the dangers associated with the outbreak of Fire; whilst Temperature Sensing and Strain Gauge Sensing are used to monitor the environment within Power Stations and Facilities and Leak Detection system can give early warning of flooding.

Operators of Power Stations and Utilities also have a duty of care for their staff and other people working on site, and so ID tracking systems and 'man down' Lone Worker protection systems are also appropriate solutions.

In a world where electronic attacks are becoming more wide-spread, Westminster offers a range of solutions for Cable & Data Network Security to protect valuable systems and computer data from misuse, theft or sabotage.