Which device atop a pole protects conductors from lightning by providing a low resistance path to ground?

• A. Plate Order
• B. Third Rail Warning Device
• C. Section Break
• D. Static Wire

Answer: (D)

Static wire, also called shield wire, sits above the energized lines on the pole. Its job is to give lightning a low-resistance path to the earth, intercepting strikes high above the conductors and directing the surge into the grounding system at the towers. By taking most of the lightning energy away from the live wires, it protects insulators, equipment, and the integrity of the overhead circuit. The other options aren’t about lightning protection: a plate order isn’t a protective device, a third rail warning device is used to alert when the third rail is energized, and a section break is a switch or insulator that isolates a section of line.