What is a key safety feature of a substation's grounding system?

A key safety feature of a substation's grounding system is ensuring that step and touch potentials remain within safe limits. This is crucial because adequate grounding protects personnel and equipment from electrical faults and stray voltages. When a fault occurs in an electrical system, grounding directs the fault current safely into the earth, minimizing the risk of shock to individuals who might be in the vicinity.

Step potential refers to the voltage difference that a person experiences when stepping from one point to another on the ground, while touch potential arises from the voltage difference between an energized object and the ground. By effectively grounding electrical equipment and infrastructure, substations can limit the voltage rise caused by these potentials to safe values, thus preventing dangerous electric shocks or hazardous conditions for both workers and the general public.

The other options do not contribute to safety in the same way. Minimizing energy consumption is important for efficiency but does not enhance safety. Reducing the need for maintenance may be beneficial in a practical sense, but it doesn't directly address the immediate safety implications of grounding. Eliminating all grounding connections would compromise safety, as it would prevent the dissipation of fault currents and increase the risk of electrical hazards. Therefore, ensuring step and touch potentials remain within safe limits is the most significant aspect of a sub