Safety considerations for smart grid technology equipment

Smart grid technology can be viewed as a merging of power systems, information technology, telecommunications, switchgear, and local power generation, along with other fields that were once electrical technologies of separated industries. As these technologies become merged, much of the safety considerations will have to be merged and reconciled as well, particularly at interfaces. This paper explores the safety considerations that should be addressed in the design of smart grid technology equipment, particularly in low-voltage AC power applications operating below 1000 V AC. It discusses existing product safety standards involved in smart grid technologies and known regulatory issues. It also looks at existing product safety requirements of the non-merged technologies and analyzes the affect on safety for this equipment when they become merged.