本国际标准定义了包含从电力系统或电力系统模型收集的瞬态波形和事件数据的文件格式。该格式旨在为交换数据提供一种易于解释的形式。该标准适用于存储在当前使用的物理介质上的文件，如便携式外部硬盘驱动器、USB驱动器、闪存驱动器、CD和DVD。它不是通过通信网络传输数据文件的标准。 本标准定义了交换各种类型的故障、测试和模拟数据所需的数据文件和交换介质的通用格式。电力工业中用于故障和瞬态数据记录和测试的数字设备的快速发展和实施，产生了对时间序列数据交换标准格式的需求。 这些数据被用于各种设备，以增强和自动化故障和干扰条件下电力系统和相关保护方案的分析、测试、评估和模拟。由于每个数据源可能使用不同的专有格式，因此有必要使用通用的数据格式来促进应用程序之间的此类数据交换。这将有助于在各种应用中使用专有数据，并允许一个专有系统的用户使用其他系统的数字数据。

This International Standard defines a format for files containing transient waveform and event data collected from power systems or power system models. The format is intended to provide an easily interpretable form for use in exchanging data. The standard is for files stored on currently used physical media such as portable external hard drives, USB drives, flash drives, CD, and DVD. It is not a standard for transferring data files over communication networks. This standard defines a common format for the data files and exchange medium needed for the interchange of various types of fault, test, and simulation data. The rapid evolution and implementation of digital devices for fault and transient data recording and testing in the electric utility industry have generated the need for a standard format for the exchange of time sequence data. These data are being used with various devices to enhance and automate the analysis, testing, evaluation, and simulation of power systems and related protection schemes during fault and disturbance conditions. Since each source of data may use a different proprietary format, a common data format is necessary to facilitate the exchange of such data between applications. This will facilitate the use of proprietary data in diverse applications and allow users of one proprietary system to use digital data from other systems.