Hi. What happens if there is a short between two phases at some point on a power line, how does this affect the load and the suppliers and what are the immediate response ie does it shut down?

Many thanks

 

I'd imagine a direct short on the power lines would blow the lines right in half and then everbody would be without power. But I'm not a lineman or an electrician

 

Hi. What happens if there is a short between two phases at some point on a power line, how does this affect the load and the suppliers and what are the immediate response ie does it shut down?

Many thanks

A protective relay will trip a circuit breaker faster than I can say, "short-circuit."

Lets say a 'squirrel' shorts out two phases, then a multi-shot circuit breaker will allow a degree of fault-current to flow and will then attempt to reclose and will remain locked-out on the third attempt.