Comment to Chuck! Let me begin by saying the following: 1. I have no axe to grind on this issue. I am completely neutral when it comes to finding a solution. 2. All methods of grounding have problems. 3 wire delta systems, for example, are considered very dangerous, by many, since it is very difficult to detect line to ground faults and hence the fault can be picked up by a person (child) and kill them. This type of system has a number of advantages. 3. We ground primarily FOR safety. If we ground, we expect the current to enter the ground. This is not a mistake as it is implied by others. Radio transmitters use the ground as the other pole of the dipole. 4. Stray voltages are usually less than 5 volts and rarely over 10 volts. They do not kill livestock or cattle directly. The battery in my radio is 9 volts and does not include a hazard warning. My grandkids are allowed to purchase batteries. 5. I'm a consultant. I make my living due to ignorance and confusion. The confusion surrounding this issue helps me and lawyers. I do not like consultants and lawyers who distort the facts for their own benefit. My papers do not help my business since they try to explain the facts. I was not paid to write that paper. 6. I have the utmost respect for farmers. I truly believe they are the backbone of America and I would not try to hurt them. 7. I have said, throughout my career, that if I were a cow, I wouldn't like "stray voltage". I, also, totally understand the parent who has a child and gets shocked in a pool. While these voltages don't kill, they do scare the heck out of people (and should). No one is suggesting we don't try and resolve the problem with various techniques. The question is who pays. Let me give you an example: Years ago a lady had voltage flicker (lights would dim) problems she attributed with the utility power company. We spent $100,000 and determined that the wiring in her house (over 75 years old) was the cause. She then decided she could live with the problem. Another example: Many people want their power lines put underground (better reliability). When they're told that the average cost to put a residence underground (nationwide) is $40,000 per home and they will have to foot the bill, the reliability issue goes away. Another example: Computers need higher power quality....should you pay so that chip manufacturers have better power? I really don't know the answer. The only thing I do know is that everyone wants the other guy to pay....me too! 8. One solution is to use 3 phase balance systems, instead of single phase systems. Would farmers be willing to pay for this? I don't know. 9. Most transmission lines are not grounded and I seem to recall farmers see stray voltage issues near these....I could be wrong. 10. Lawyers always make money on these concerns and the money comes from farmers, residents and utilities.

Now to your specific points: 1. Shocks ain't fun and electricity is dangerous. That will not change in my lifetime. Shocks due to stray voltage are not considered lethal (OSHA - over 50 volts). 2. The 4-wire multigrounded system can detect faults faster than the other systems and has probably saved more people than the others due to this characteristic....but it's not perfect. Electricity is dangerous. 3. Some systems which do not contribute to "stray voltage", do contribute to more deaths (due to higher overvoltages and protective relay difficulties). It's a tradeoff. By the way, I am the inventor of the 5-wire system, which isn't perfect either, although some say it is. 4. Europeans generally use a unigrounded system ( I taught in Europe for 6 years). This system has much higher overvoltages, less stray voltage, and cannot detect line to ground faults very well, making it more dangerous. It is used for a balanced 3 phase system, which my house is not. It is much more expensive and is used where customers have small plots (<0.25 acres) and very low loads (no air conditioning, etc.). We recommend this system for villages in Africa, which have these characteristics. 5. Frank Denbrock is a fine engineer and person, as are virtually all the utility folks I deal with. They are really out to help you folks. I have always failed to see why farmers would think otherwise. They have nothing to gain from your problems. 6. Everyone wants me to run around and address these issues. The problem is no one wants to pay my expenses or my time (I'm not cheap). My boss tells me the business is not a charity. While I'd love to debate anyone on this (my nature), I have to make a living, so unless someone foots the bill, I'm on to other things. 7. I would suggest that the following: a. There are people out there who do not want this issue solved since this is their source of income (lawyers in particular). b. Anyone sponsored by a utility is suspect in the media (global warming has the same issue). If utilities paid me to work with you folks, you probably wouldn't trust me so what good is that? c. The parties concerned with the issue are not electrical engineers and are easy targets for incompetent engineers. d. Lawyers make money either way.

Again, I'm neutral. I just want to see the problem resolved and everyone happy (except the lawyers)....hope this helps......best regards....jim