Multigrounded neutrals

[zbang]

To avoid hijacking my own thread...

Because largely of MGN distribution, voltage drop along the neutral gets reflected into the soil by multiple ground rods, thus there are step potentials all over the place.

I really haven't thought this through, but over what sort of distances in "normal" soil would MGN affect the step potential? I do remember the usual Mike Holt drawing of a streetlight, however over multi-hundred feet with no intervening structures/etc it seems to me that the earth impedance would be sufficiently high mimic a single point earth connection. Yes? No?

(And for light bedtime reading, I just bought a used copy of Soares online )