BEIJING — On June 10, 2026, the inaugural meeting of the Secretariat of IEC Subcommittee 8D "Meteorological Services and Technologies for Electric Power Systems" (IEC SC8D) and the Electric Power Meteorology Technology Symposium were held in Beijing, marking the official establishment of the secretariat in China.
IEC SC8D is the only IEC technical body initiated, approved, and hosted by China in the past three years. The establishment of this subcommittee fills the gap in international standardization platforms at the intersection of electric power and meteorology, representing a landmark breakthrough in China's electric power international standardization efforts.
Addressing Global Climate Change: The Urgent Need for Power Meteorology Standards
With global climate change intensifying, extreme weather events and natural disasters are occurring more frequently and with intensities far exceeding conventional design standards. Meteorological factors now permeate every link of the electric power value chain — generation, transmission, and consumption — directly threatening the security of power systems worldwide. The industry urgently needs unified international standards to address these challenges.
Against this backdrop, IEC SC8D, initiated by the State Grid Corporation of China, was formally established in 2025 after unanimous approval by the IEC Standardization Management Board (SMB). The subcommittee was the only new IEC technical body successfully approved by China in 2025. In January 2026, the Standardization Administration of China officially approved the China Electric Power Research Institute to host the secretariat.
Four Core Areas: Building an International Standards System for Power Meteorology
IEC SC8D will focus on meteorological risks faced by high-penetration renewable energy power systems in the context of energy transition and climate change. The subcommittee will advance international standardization work in the following four core areas:
Identification and grading of High-Impact Weather (HIW) for power systems
Planning and data governance of power meteorology observation networks
Technical specifications and quality assessment of power meteorology forecast data products
Early warning and response strategies for High-Impact Weather affecting power systems
The establishment of this subcommittee will provide an open and shared platform for technical exchange and standards cooperation among countries, helping to solve the challenges of power system security under extreme weather conditions.
China Electric Power Research Institute Hosts Secretariat, Contributing Chinese Solutions
Wang Weisheng, Chief Engineer of the China Electric Power Research Institute and Secretary of IEC SC8D, stated that the establishment of the secretariat provides China with a new institutional platform for deep participation in global energy governance. It will also help transform China's mature technologies and practical experience in power meteorology into international standards, contributing Chinese solutions to the world.
Looking ahead, IEC SC8D will bring together global expertise and the collective strength of industry, academia, and research institutions, build international consensus on a broader scale, and continuously improve the power meteorology standards system to support the global clean and low-carbon energy transition.
IARIS Perspective
The International Alliance for Regional Innovation and Standardization (IARIS) recognizes the establishment of the IEC SC8D secretariat in Beijing as a significant milestone in China's deep engagement in global energy governance and an exemplary model of regional innovation cooperation. Against the backdrop of global energy transition and climate change, international standardization in the field of power meteorology holds profound practical significance — the integration of high-penetration renewable energy has substantially increased the sensitivity of power systems to meteorological conditions, and unified international standards will provide technical support for power systems worldwide to cope with extreme weather events.
IARIS will continue to monitor the standards development progress of IEC SC8D and actively promote regional coordination and technology sharing in power meteorology across the Asia-Pacific region, contributing regional strength to the global clean and low-carbon energy transition.
