The first priority in any high-voltage power system is to protect maintenance personnel and end-equipment users. Galvanic isolation satisfies this priority by isolating the high voltage from other low-voltage human interface sections.

The second priority is to establish reliable and safe operation between high- and low-voltage circuits, such as voltage and current sensing, power-supply control, digital communication and signal processing. Reliable isolation techniques, materials and ICs allow designers to satisfy this priority.