"The worst fault type for a given grounding system is usually the one resulting in the highest value

of the maximum grid current IG. Because this current is proportional to the zero sequence or
ground fault current and the current division factor, and because the current division is almost
independent of the fault type, the worst fault type can be defined as the one resulting in the
highest zero sequence or ground fault current flow into the earth, 3I0. In a given location, a single-
line-to-ground fault will be the worst fault type if Z1 Z0 > Z2¨2 at the point of fault, and a line-to-
line-to-ground fault will be the worst type if Z1*Z0 < Z2¨2. In the usual case where Z2 is assumed
equal to Z1, the above comparisons reduce to Z0 > Z1, and Z0 < Z2, respectively.

The question of the fault location producing the maximum grid current IG involves several
considerations. The worst fault location may be either on the high voltage side or on the low
voltage side, and in either case may be either inside the substation or outside on a line, at a
certain distance from the substation. A fault is classified as inside the substation if it is related to a
metallic structure that is electrically connected to the substation grounding grid via negligible
impedance. There are no universal rules for the determination of the worst fault location. The
following discussion relates to some, but by no means all, possibilities.

For distribution substations with the transformer grounded only on the distribution side, the
maximum grid current IG usually occurs for a ground fault on the high-side terminals of the
transformer. However, if the source of ground fault current on the high side is weak, or if a parallel
operation of several transformers results in a strong ground fault current source on the low side,
the maximum grid current may occur for a ground fault somewhere on the distribution circuit.

For ground faults on the low-side terminals of such a secondary grounded transformer, the
transformer’s contribution to the fault circulates in the substation grid conductor with negligible
leakage current into the earth and, thus, has no effect on the substation GPR, as shown in Figure
28."
For ground faults outside the substation on a distribution feeder (far enough to be at remote earth
with respect to the ground grid), a large portion of the fault current will return to its source (the
transformer neutral) via the substation grid, thus contributing to the substation GPR....

In a few cases, a further complication arises. The duration of the fault depends on the type of
protection scheme used, the location of the fault, and the choice of using primary or back-up
clearing times for the fault (shock) duration. The fault duration not only affects the decrement
factor, Df, but also the tolerable voltages, as discussed in Clause 8. If the fault clearing time for a
particular fault is relatively long, the corresponding tolerable voltages may be reduced to values
that make this fault condition the worst case, even though the grid current for this case is not the
maximum value. This situation generally occurs where a delta-wye grounded transformer is fed
from a relatively weak source of fault current and the fault occurs some distance down a rural
distribution feeder. In this case, the high (delta) side fault current may be relatively low, and the
low (wye grounded) side feeder faults are determined primarily by the transformer and feeder
impedances. If backup clearing is considered, a feeder fault several kilometers down the feeder,
depending on the high side clearing device to back-up the failure of the feeder breaker, could
take several seconds to clear. The tolerable voltage for this case may be significantly lower than
that for a high side fault, making the low side feeder fault the worst case for the grid design.
Thus, the worst fault type and location must take into consideration not only the maximum
value of grid current IG, but also the tolerable voltages based on the fault clearing time."