For a load fed with 250 kcmil conductors in parallel conduits from a 500-amp breaker, the smallest equipment grounding conductor permitted in each conduit is?

When determining the minimum size of equipment grounding conductors (EGC) for conductors used in parallel, it’s essential to refer to the National Electrical Code (NEC) guidelines. In this scenario, with a load fed by 250 kcmil conductors running in parallel, the size of the EGC must align with the ampacity of the circuit.

The NEC provides tables to determine the minimum size of equipment grounding conductors based on the size of the largest ungrounded conductor in the parallel setup. The 250 kcmil conductors correspond to a significant amount of current-carrying capacity, which directly affects the required grounding conductor size.

For conductors sized at 250 kcmil, the minimum EGC is determined from NEC Table 250.122, which delineates the size of the grounding conductor based on the rating of the circuit breaker. In this case, the system is protected by a 500 amp breaker. Therefore, the grounding conductor must be sized adequately according to this rating.

In the case of 500 amps, the NEC indicates that a 2 AWG copper equipment grounding conductor is the smallest size permitted for a circuit with such a rating, ensuring safe and effective grounding. This is why the answer identifying