The document discusses the IEC 61850 standard for substation automation. It describes the key requirements for communication systems in substations, including high-speed device communication, networkability, availability, and support for functions like file transfer. It then explains the use of Ethernet and serial-based networks in substations and discusses communication protocols. A key aspect of IEC 61850 is that it provides a model for how devices should organize data in a consistent way across all device types and brands. IEC 61850 also enables the introduction of process bus networks that connect merging units and sensors directly into the communication infrastructure.