From: arl_123234@hotmail.com   
      
   Hello, and a question for AC power systems engineers and linemen:   
      
   I've seen of few instances in the U.S. (primarily in desert regions of   
   California) where apparently a 3-phase, 3-wire MV system is installed on   
   the crossarms of utility poles but there is no neutral wire as   
   customarily found on the pole below the crossarm.  My thinking is that   
   this was done 1) to save money on wire as service drops are few and far   
   between, 2) faults to earth don't occur that often in this service area   
   and fault location/isolation (facilitated by an earth-grounded neutral)   
   is not an overriding consideration and 3) lightning strikes to the   
   overhead wires are rare in this environment.  Any MV-LV   
   residential/commercial services would require doubly-insulated (two   
   bushings on the MV/primary side) distribution transformers rather than   
   the more widely used single-bushing line-to-neutral type usually found   
   on 4-wire multigrounded neutral systems.  Thanks for your time and   
   comment on the accuracy of my conclusions.  Sincerely,   
   --   
   J. B. Wood	            e-mail: arl_123234@hotmail.com   
      
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