Overhead　and　underground　power　line　monitoring　is　an　essential　infrastructure　for　advanced　operation　in　the　smart　grid.　Wireless　sensor　networks　are　attractive　to　remote　power　line　monitoring,　due　to　their　rare　geography　restrictions,　simple　engineering　design,　and　flexible　equipment　expansion.　Considering　the　ZigBee＇s　characteristic　of　low　transmission　rate,　almost　commercial　sensors　adopt　the　high-speed　communication,　such　as　Cellular　and　WiFi,　to　implement　the　real-time　wireless　monitoring.　However,　among　all　wireless　technologies,　ZigBee,　characterizing　high　security,　ultra-low　power　consumption,　reliable　network,　low　cost,　and　ease　of　design,　is　widely　used　in　many　industries.　This　paper　proposes　a　new　ZigBee-based　communication　for　multifunctional　electronic　current　transformers　(ECTs),　which　are　used　in　overhead　and　underground　line　monitoring.　To　tackle　ZigBee＇s　low　transmission　rate,　the　proposed　method　involving　a　transmission　strategy　can　make　the　ZigBee-based　communication　satisfy　both　measurable　and　protective　purposes　of　multifunctional　ECTs.　Finally,　the　new　ZigBee-based　wireless　communication　is　implemented　and　integrated　with　an　ECT,　which　is　based　on　the　coreless　Hall-effect　current　transformer　(HCT),　and　the　proposed　ZigBee-based　wireless　multifunctional　HCT　is　called　ZiHCT.　The　measurement　results　show　that　the　ZiHCT　can　achieve　accuracy　not　only　to　Class　0.5　for　measuring　CTs,　but　also　to　Class　5P20　for　protective　CTs　according　to　IEC　standard　60044-8.　©　2016　IEEE.