The argument was about neutral current flowing through the metal nipple behind the panel to the meter can. They did not want to admit, that happens no matter what if you have a metal raceway and a bonded ground to neutral in the meter base.
These are the same guys who won't admit an inground concrete pool is an electrode, the biggest Ufer in the system.
The EGC and the bonding grid get bonded all over that system. (Pumps, lights, pool covers, heaters etc) and they are all at least 12ga wire. That is a lot of copper that electrons can flow through.
I went ahead and drive rods at the AC compressors and sat dishes, connected to the grounding system with 2ga (I had a bunch) I figure a big equipotential grid around my whole house should help with the surge protection. Then I stack layers of protectors on that.
