What is the function of the grounding electrode system?

The grounding electrode system serves the vital function of safely dissipating fault currents into the earth. When a fault occurs, such as a short circuit or equipment failure, the grounding electrode system creates a low-resistance path for excess electrical current to flow into the ground. This process not only helps protect people and equipment from potential electrical hazards but also facilitates the operation of overcurrent protective devices, such as circuit breakers, ensuring they can effectively interrupt the flow of electricity.

By providing this safe path for fault currents, the grounding electrode system plays a crucial role in maintaining electrical system stability and safety, reducing the risk of electric shock and fire hazards. It also aids in minimizing equipment damage that may arise from overvoltage conditions. Therefore, its main purpose is not about redundancy, improving equipment performance, or being specific to transformer systems—it's fundamentally about ensuring that electrical faults are safely managed by directing potentially dangerous currents away from the structures and people that could be harmed.