The developer behind a large transmission line that has become a lightning rod across rural Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties plans to seek court permission to survey properties after being denied access by landowners along its proposed route for months.

The step, announced Wednesday by Public Services Enterprises Group, comes as the company’s Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project has sparked an uproar in Central and Western Maryland, uniting landowners and environmentalists in opposition. The region’s electric grid operator, though, has said the approximately 70-mile transmission line is a critical upgrade as the region faces ballooning energy demand.

The story continues at The Baltimore Banner: Facing wall of landowners, power line developer will seek court order to survey route

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