Mark:

But, if what you're saying is true, then there is power flowing to ground through the primary coil of every distribution transformer in the USA and Canada 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.

And, with a voltage of 7200 volts driving that current, it would seem to me there would be a significant current flowing in the 40 or 50 foot cable going down from the transformer to the ground.

Why don't those cables get warm to the touch?

Is it entirely the impedance of the primary coil in the transformer? There is a 24 VAC doorbell transformer in every house in the USA and Canada. 120 Volt power is flowing through the primary coil of those transformers 24/7/365 and yet no one seems to be concerned about that power wastage.

The only thing that makes sense to me here is that the impedance of the primary coil in distribution transformers is so high that the current flow to ground is actually very small despite the driving voltage being so high.

And, I expect the same would be true for 24 VAC household transformers. That's why there's no big push on to save energy there like there is for light bulbs and appliances.