Doug Millner P.E.

• 1stNERX Power Consultants LLC - Protective Relaying,

Power System Studies, Training, and NERC Compliance - Powering
Energy Solutions

9h(edited)
Three phase power doesn't need a neutral return since anything but ground current
returns on the other phases. Occasional, counterpoise ground cables are run, and I am
not talking about static wires for lightning, to supply a solid ground to a facility that has
issues deriving a low impedance ground due to rocky terrain or desert like conditions.
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Rodney Hughes (B.Eng - Elec, FIEAust)View Rodney Hughes (B.Eng - Elec,

FIEAust)’s profile • FollowingPower System, Protection and IEC 61850
Specialist

8h
well .. except for single phase loads amidst a 3-phase network
But yes, at Dx and Tx levels there aren't any 1-ph loads thanks to Dyn TFs
Abdelrhman FathyView Abdelrhman Fathy’s profile • 2ndTransmission
lines, cables, substations design engineer & course instructor

11h(edited)
You must first ask yourself an important question why do we use the neutral?

As a short answer, we use it when there is unbalance between phases or when we need
two levels of voltages to feed the loads "line to line voltage" or "line to neutral voltage"
so in such cases only we will need the neutral to stabilize the voltage on the three fed
phases.

On the other hand, in the HV networks connecting the substations or the power plants,
the concept of unbalance between phases is not found so there is no need for the
neutral at all.
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Rodney Hughes (B.Eng - Elec, FIEAust)View Rodney Hughes (B.Eng - Elec,

FIEAust)’s profile • FollowingPower System, Protection and IEC 61850
Specialist
10h
Abdelrhman Fathy
I can't agree that "the concept of unbalance between phases will not be achieved"
It happens.
But unbalance with zero sequence is the issue .. the Zero Sequence cannot happen
because single phase currents on the star side of a Delta-star transformer are seen as
phase-to-phase currents on the delta side ... That is the reason we do not need a Neutral
conductor because there would never be any load current flowing in the neutral wire
... and obviously there is no neutral terminal to connect it to on the load end delta
winding

Rodney Hughes (B.Eng - Elec, FIEAust)View Rodney Hughes (B.Eng - Elec,

FIEAust)’s profile • FollowingPower System, Protection and IEC 61850
Specialist

19h(edited)
Generally speaking, ...
The source end is a star transformer winding.
But at the load end is usually a delta-star tf.
The single phase current on the star side of that load end tf is seen on the delta side as
a phase-to-phase current so there is never any normal load current that would
necessitate a Neutral wire.