What is a typical consequence of a failed insulator on a live line?

• A. Immediate improvement in line stability.
• B. Line outage or fault, possible electrical danger to personnel, and damage to equipment.
• C. No impact on line operation.
• D. Only affects nearby ground equipment.

Answer: (B)

When an insulator on a live line fails, the insulated separation between the conductor and the support is lost, so current can jump to ground or to another phase. This creates a fault in the system, usually triggering protection to trip and causing a line outage. The arc and fault also pose a real electrical hazard to anyone nearby and can damage equipment such as switches, transformers, and the remaining insulators. It’s not a situation of improved stability or no impact—the fault interrupts service and can harm both people and gear.