Which component is responsible for surge protection in a distribution line?

Surge protection in a distribution line is primarily provided by lightning or surge arrestors. These devices are specifically designed to protect electrical equipment and infrastructure from voltage spikes that can occur due to lightning strikes or other transient surges. When a surge occurs, the arrestor diverts the excess energy away from sensitive components, thus preventing damage.

Lightning/surge arrestors work by providing a low-resistance path to ground, effectively shunting the potentially harmful surge away from the line and its connected equipment. This functionality is crucial for maintaining the integrity and reliability of the power distribution system, especially in areas prone to severe weather or electrical disturbances.

In contrast, while components like reclosers, sectionalizers, and fused cut-out switches serve important functions in maintaining system reliability, they are not designed for surge protection. Reclosers restore power after momentary outages, sectionalizers isolate faulted sections of a network for maintenance, and fused cut-outs protect equipment from overloads and faults. However, these devices do not mitigate voltage surges like lightning/surge arrestors do.