OMICRON Magazine

Publisher Responsible for content Editorial team and implementation Picture credits E-mail to the editorial team DEAR READERS, OMICRON electronics GmbH, Oberes Ried 1, 6833 Klaus (AT) OMICRON electronics GmbH up! consulting, Ruggell (FL) OMICRON electronics GmbH, iStock.com (S.12–15, 24, 27–31, 33–34, 38, 42, 45), TenneT (S.17–19), Elia (S.25–26), GFTC s.r.o. (S.32), PCM Guatemala (S.35–36) magazine@omicronenergy.com For many people the world feels like a much more dangerous place now than it was a few years ago. In times like these it is even more important to stay informed and understand other people and cultures. The Global Peace Index, issued by the Institute of Economics and Peace, recently released a ranking of the safest countries in the world. Luckily 11 of our OMICRON offices are in coun- tries ranked within the top 20 safest countries in the world. If you are interested in the detailed report – please have a look: economicsandpeace.org And what about the power industry? The electricity grid has been physically vulnerable for decades. Today we are only just beginning to understand the seriousness of an emerging threat to the grid’s cybersecurity. As the grid has become more dependent on computers and data-sharing, it has become more responsive to changes in power demand and better at integrating new sources of energy. However, its computerized control could be abused by attackers who gain access to the systems. Many of the recent cyber-attacks deal with computer technology and the interconnected nature of the infrastructure. For some years now, we have been actively addressing the issue of cyber security and its impact on day-to-day work performing tests in energy installations – read more about our initiatives on page 27. Finally some good news: The overall score for the 2017 Global Peace Index im- proved slightly due to gains in six of the nine geographical regions represented. This is the first improvement in global peacefulness since start of the recordings in 2014 – let’s continue in our joint effort to change the world for the better. Enjoy reading! Patricia Marte Editor-in-chief OMICRON Magazine 2