Landowners Fight PSEG Power Lines in Court
Pacific Legal Foundation asks the Supreme Court to review a ruling on PSEG's planned 67-mile Maryland transmission project.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Utilities
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The Pacific Legal Foundation has petitioned the United States Supreme Court to review a federal ruling in the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project case. A federal court granted PSEG a preliminary injunction allowing limited access to private properties for environmental surveys.
Why it matters
More than 100 landowners in Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties are affected by the planned line, which PSEG says is needed to meet higher energy demand from data centers in northern Virginia. Attorneys argue PSEG bypassed the eminent domain approval process before the Maryland Public Service Commission.
PSEG plans 67 miles of new power lines crossing properties owned by more than 100 landowners in Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties. The Supreme Court's decision on whether to hear the petition remains pending, and the project has not yet received its certificate.
The players
Pacific Legal Foundation
A public interest legal organization that represents clients challenging government overreach on a pro bono basis.
PSEG
The Public Service Enterprise Group, a New Jersey-based utility company that is developing the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project.
The details
PSEG sought access to private properties for environmental surveys after failing to obtain voluntary landowner cooperation. In June 2025, a federal court granted a preliminary injunction for limited access, which the Maryland 4th Circuit Court of Appeals later upheld. The Pacific Legal Foundation, which takes such cases pro bono, contends the company sought a judicial shortcut.
Timeline
2024: Landowners first learned of PSEG's power line plans.
June 2025: A federal court granted PSEG a preliminary injunction for limited property access.
Early 2026: A Supreme Court update is expected on whether it will take the case.
Before the end of 2027: Oral arguments could be heard if the case is accepted.
Industry Context
The dispute tests how far federal courts will go in granting preliminary injunctions under the limits set by Trump v. CASA in 2025. The outcome could shape how utilities pursue transmission projects that cross private land in Maryland.
Landowners along the proposed route may face survey access and possible eminent domain proceedings affecting their property. The outcome will determine whether power lines are built across their land and how their property rights are weighed against the project.
The takeaway
The case highlights the tension between regional energy demand and private property rights. Affected landowners should track the Supreme Court docket and Maryland Public Service Commission proceedings for developments.
What happens next
The Supreme Court is expected to decide early next year whether to take up the case, and oral arguments could be heard before the end of 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on Utilities for context on transmission projects like this one in Maryland.
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