Carroll County residents turned out in force at two public information sessions held Thursday at the Westminster Senior & Community Center to learn about and discuss the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project. This $424 million energy grid upgrade proposal includes plans for a 500,000-volt transmission line that would cut through Carroll County, along with Frederick and Baltimore counties.

The sessions, which were well-attended, provided Carroll County property owners an opportunity to express their concerns about the project. Many were particularly worried about the potential use of eminent domain to acquire private land for the installation of transmission lines in their county.

The project, contracted by PJM (the Regional Transmission Organization) to the Public Service Enterprise Group, aims to enhance the region’s power infrastructure. For Carroll County, this means significant changes to the local landscape and potential impacts on private property.

County residents used the sessions to seek clarity on how the proposed 70-mile transmission line would affect their properties and the broader Carroll County community. The project’s representatives were on hand to address questions and provide details about the planned 2027 operational date and its implications for the county.