Improper Grounding

• Improper grounding, usually a consequence of poor planning or poor construction of a power substation, can lead to a ground trip. This is because badly grounded electrical current dissipates easily due to an incomplete or weak connection, causing false alarm trips and wasteful grid connections.
  
  

Overvoltage

• The most dramatic overvoltage scenario is a lightning strike, which will immediately cause a circuit break; another, more likely scenario is an increase in voltage due to increased consumer demand, which is one of the causes of a blackout or brownout due to substation trips.
  
  

Earth Potential Rise

• Earth Potential Rise (EPR) or Ground Potential Rise is of great concern when constructing power stations due to the potential of electrical conductivity in the proximity of an area with a grounded electric substation. Excess ground discharge due to improper safety measures or unauthorized access to proximate charged objects can cause a ground trip.
  
  

Remote Switching

• Many substations can be tripped manually or automatically by remote access from a supervisor in a power authority facility; this is usually a precautionary measure executed in preparation for emergencies such as emergency infrastructure replacement or extreme natural circumstances -- like a seismic event. Remote station trips can, however, also be tripped by accident.