IEC 62271-3:2015 is applicable to high-voltage switchgear and controlgear for all rated voltage levels above 1 kV and assemblies thereof and specifies equipment for digital communication with other parts of the power utility automation and its impact on testing. This equipment for digital communication, replacing metal parallel wiring, can be integrated into the high-voltage switchgear, controlgear, and assemblies thereof, or can be external equipment in order to provide compliance for existing switchgear and controlgear and assemblies thereof with the standards of the IEC 61850 series. This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2006. This edition constitutes a technical revision. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
a) an update to the latest edition(s) of IEC 61850 series; (e.g. Annex B "LNs for sensors and monitoring" of edition 1 has been deleted since these LNs are now covered by standard IEC 61850-7-4:2010)
b) an update of normative references;
c) the minimum voltage range this standard refers to, was changed from 72,5 kV to above 1 kV;
d) the description of performance tests and conformance tests became more specific;
e) the new - informative - Annex C gives an example for performance type testing;
f) 6.2.3 "transmission systems" as well as appropriate subclauses have been superseded by standard IEC TR 61850-90-4:2013;
g) fibre optical connector type LC becomes only recommended type of fibre optic connector in accordance with IEC TR 61850-90-4:2013;
h) electronic nameplates have been redefined as extension of LN XCBR and LN XSWI with data objects, reflecting required additional name plate information.