A method for determining the operating status of a MV switching apparatus, said switching apparatus comprising: - one or more electric poles, each comprising a movable contact and a fixed contact adapted to be coupled/uncoupled during the switching operations of said switching apparatus; - an electromagnetic actuator for actuating one or more movable contacts of the electric poles, said electromagnetic actuator having at least a test winding (132, 134, 136) wound around a magnetic element; - a capacitor bank for providing electric power to said electromagnetic actuator; characterised in that it comprises the following steps: - providing a test signal to said test winding for an observation period of time (To), said test signal having a waveform capable of exciting said magnetic element; - receiving sensing signals indicative of electrical quantities (V C, V L, I L) at said capacitor bank and at said test winding during said observation period of time from sensor means of said MV switching apparatus; - calculating first measuring data (Vc) indicative of a voltage at first terminals of said capacitor bank during said observation period of time by processing said sensing signals; - calculating second measuring data (V L, I L) indicative of a voltage at second terminals of said test winding and/or indicative of a current circulating along said test winding during said observation period of time by processing said sensing signals; - calculating estimation data ( Ĉ, I CD, I C) indicative of the operating status of said capacitor bank at the end of said observation period of time by using a recursive calculation procedure that processes said first and second measuring data at different instants within said observation period, said first estimation data comprising a first estimation value indicative of the capacitance of said capacitor bank. - one or more electric poles, each comprising a movable contact and a fixed contact adapted to be coupled/uncoupled during the switching operations of said switching apparatus; - an electromagnetic actuator for actuating one or more movable contacts of the electric poles, said electromagnetic actuator having at least a test winding (132, 134, 136) wound around a magnetic element; - a capacitor bank for providing electric power to said electromagnetic actuator; - providing a test signal to said test winding for an observation period of time (To), said test signal having a waveform capable of exciting said magnetic element; - receiving sensing signals indicative of electrical quantities (V C, V L, I L) at said capacitor bank and at said test winding during said observation period of time from sensor means of said MV switching apparatus; - calculating first measuring data (Vc) indicative of a voltage at first terminals of said capacitor bank during said observation period of time by processing said sensing signals; - calculating second measuring data (V L, I L) indicative of a voltage at second terminals of said test winding and/or indicative of a current circulating along said test winding during said observation period of time by processing said sensing signals; - calculating estimation data ( Ĉ, I CD, I C) indicative of the operating status of said capacitor bank at the end of said observation period of time by using a recursive calculation procedure that processes said first and second measuring data at different instants within said observation period, said first estimation data comprising a first estimation value indicative of the capacitance of said capacitor bank.