Overhead line insulators primarily prevent current from flowing to supporting structures or adjacent objects.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not sure
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (A)

Overhead line insulators are designed to keep the live conductor electrically isolated from the supporting structure and from nearby objects. Their primary job is to provide a high dielectric strength so current cannot flow into the pole, tower, or adjacent equipment, which would cause energization, arcing, or faults. While insulators also bear the mechanical weight of the conductor and maintain proper spacing, those roles are secondary to the insulation function. Under normal conditions they prevent current from leaking to structures or nearby objects; only contamination, damage, or extreme voltage could reduce insulation and allow leakage. So the statement is true.