Metal guy wires used to support turbine towers are ___ required to be connected to an equipment grounding conductor.

• A. Are
• B. Are not
• C. Must be
• D. May be

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is how the equipment grounding conductor (EGC) is used to protect people from shock and to carry fault current. The EGC is for electrical equipment and enclosures, not for structural or mechanical parts that aren’t part of the electrical circuit.

Metal guy wires are part of the turbine’s mechanical support and are not active current-carrying parts of the electrical system. The tower has its own grounding electrode system to provide a safe path to earth, and bonding of the structure is handled through that system. Because the guy wires aren’t expected to carry fault current from electrical equipment, there’s no requirement to connect them to an equipment grounding conductor.

That’s why the statement is that they are not required to be connected to an equipment grounding conductor.