How important is good grounding on utility distribution systems?

Distribution neutral grounding is probably one of the most confusing subjects faced by the utility distribution engineer. In an industry where utilities are combining practices, the confusion has been compounded. Questions being asked are: is good grounding really necessary?; does poor grounding have advantages?; what is the best grounding?; when is grounding important?; and when is it not? The purpose of this paper is to attempt to answer some of these questions. It will be shown that while good grounding is usually preferred, there are times when good grounds are not important and may even be detrimental. Some of the grounding areas covered are: arrester application; effect on swells; high impedance faults; stray voltage; line protection; capacitor grounding; overcurrent protection; number of grounds per mile; etc.