Review of IEC 60270 Regarding PD Measurements Under DC Voltage

The fourth edition of the standard IEC 60270 is in the final stages, with publication scheduled for December 2024. The first edition from 1968 already dealt with partial discharge (PD) measurements during tests with DC voltage, which has been an integral part of the standard ever since. Due to the increasing interest in HVDC equipment in recent years, the scope regarding PD measurements at DC voltage has also been extended in subsequent revisions. However, the current edition 3.1 was often considered too imprecise to achieve comparable results at DC voltage, which has been confirmed in various publications in recent years. This raises the question of the extent to which the new edition improves on this and whether the current state of the art is adequately reflected. Finally, the critical question arises as to whether the standardised methods for PD measurements at DC voltage are sufficient or whether there is a need for action to update IEC 60270.