Standards Development

Scope

This part of IEC 62052 specifies requirements and associated tests, with their appropriate conditions for type testing of AC and DC electricity meters. This document details functional, mechanical, electrical and marking requirements, test methods, and test conditions, including immunity to external influences covering electromagnetic and climatic environments.

NOTE 1 For other general requirements, such as safety, dependability, etc., see the relevant IEC 62052 or IEC 62059 standards. For accuracy requirements and other requirements specific to class indices, see the relevant IEC 62053 standards.

This document applies to electricity metering equipment designed to:

–        measure and control electrical energy on electrical networks (mains) with voltage up to 1 000 V AC, or 1 500 V DC;

NOTE 2 For AC electricity meters, the voltage mentioned above is the line-to-neutral voltage derived from nominal voltages. See IEC 62052-31:2024, Table 7.

NOTE 3 For meters designed for operation with transducers, only the metering unit is considered a low voltage device. If the transducers are rated for voltages exceeding 1 000 V AC, or 1 500 V DC, the combination of the metering unit and transducers is not a low voltage device.

–        have all functional elements, including add-on modules, enclosed in, or forming a single meter case with exception of indicating displays;

–        operate with integrated displays (electromechanical or static meters);

–        operate with detached indicating displays, or without an indicating display (static meters only);

–        be installed in a specified matching sockets or racks;

–        optionally, provide additional functions other than those for measurement of electrical energy.Meters designed for operation with external transducers may be tested for compliance with this document and the relevant IEC 62053 series documents:

–        as directly connected meters, when such meters and their transducers are tested together;

–        as transducer-operated meters when such meters are tested without transducers.

NOTE 4 When transducer-operated meters are tested without transducers, the reference measurements may be performed at the input terminals of the meter. This may require, for example, a traceable reference energy meter with inputs compatible with mV or mA level transducer output signals. Another practical way to test transducer-operated meters is to perform the reference measurement at the input terminals of calibrated reference transducers. This way, the reference energy meters, and test current sources may the same as those used for testing of transformer-operated meters. The transformation ratio, metrological characteristics and uncertainty of the reference transducers are known, and their influence can be removed by post-processing the test data. The determination of the appropriate test methodology is left to the expertise of the testing laboratory.

NOTE 5 Modern electricity meters typically contain additional functions such as measurement of voltage magnitude, current magnitude, power, frequency, power factor, etc.; measurement of power quality parameters; load control functions; delivery, time, test, accounting, and recording functions; data communication interfaces and associated data security functions. The relevant standards for these functions may apply in addition to the requirements of this document. However, the requirements for such functions are outside the scope of this document.

NOTE 6 Product requirements for Power Metering and Monitoring Devices (PMDs) and measurement functions such as voltage magnitude, current magnitude, power, frequency, etc., are covered in IEC 61557-12:2018 [1]. However, devices compliant with IEC 61557-12:2018 [1] are not intended to be used as billing meters unless they are also compliant with IEC 62052-11:2025 and one or more relevant IEC 62053-xx:2025 particular requirements (accuracy class) standard.

NOTE 7 Product requirements for Power Quality Instruments (PQIs) are covered in IEC 62586-1:2018 [2]. Requirements for power quality measurement techniques (functions) are covered in IEC 61000-4-30:2015 [3]. Requirements for testing of the power quality measurement functions are covered in IEC 62586-2.

NOTE 8 The IEC TC13 strives to consider EMC phenomena that may occur in practice in meter installations and to amend its standards to ensure that an appropriate level of electromagnetic compatibility is specified for electricity metering equipment. To this end, IEC TC13 cooperates with the relevant IEC technical committees to characterize electromagnetic phenomena, to define emission limits, immunity levels and immunity verification methods based on which the appropriate test methods and requirements can be developed in the TC13 electricity metering equipment standards.This document is also applicable to auxiliary input and output circuits, operation indicators, and test outputs of equipment for electrical energy measurement.

NOTE 9 Some examples include pulse inputs and outputs, control inputs and outputs, and energy test outputs.This document also covers the common aspects of accuracy testing such as reference conditions, repeatability and measurement of uncertainty.

This document does not apply to:

–        meters for which the voltage line-to-neutral derived from nominal voltages exceeds 1 000 V AC, or 1 500 V DC;

–        metering systems comprising multiple devices (except transducers) physically remote from one another (i.e. distributed measurement systems);

–        portable meters;

NOTE 10 Portable meters are meters that are not permanently connected.

–        meters used in rolling stock, vehicles, ships and airplanes;

–        laboratory and meter test equipment;

–        reference standard meters;

NOTE 11 Nominal values, accuracy classes, requirements and test methods for reference standard meters are specified in IEC 62057-1:2023.

–        data interfaces to the register of the meter;

–        matching sockets or racks used for installation of electricity metering equipment;

–        any additional functions provided in electrical energy meters.

This document does not cover measures for the detection and prevention of fraudulent attempts to compromise a meter's performance (tampering).

NOTE 12 Nevertheless, specific tampering detection and prevention requirements, and test methods as relevant for a particular market may be necessary but are neither identified nor prescribed in this document.

NOTE 13 Specifying requirements and test methods for fraud detection and prevention would be counterproductive, as such specifications would provide guidance for potential fraudsters.

NOTE 14 There are many types of meter tampering reported from various markets; therefore, designing meters to detect and prevent all types of tampering could lead to unjustified increase in costs of meter design, verification and validation.

NOTE 15 Billing systems, such as smart metering systems, are capable of detecting irregular consumption patterns and irregular network losses which enable discovery of suspected meter tampering.