Residents of Carroll County are voicing their opposition to the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP), a proposed 500,000-volt transmission line spanning 70 miles across Baltimore, Carroll, and Frederick Counties. Signs reading “Stop MPRP, No eminent domain for corporate gain” have begun appearing in yards throughout the area.

The project, spearheaded by New Jersey-based Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), aims to address growing electric needs in the region. However, local property owners fear significant impacts on their land value and livelihoods.

Jeremy Myers of King’s Tree Farm expressed concern about potential losses, estimating that the transmission line could reduce his tree production by 30,000 trees. “There’s no way we could farm trees back under this,” Myers stated. “I think it would completely put us under.”

Homeowner Lindsay Duncan echoed these sentiments, worried about the project’s effect on her property investment. “This is our biggest asset,” she said. “The transmission line project is just going to completely put us upside down.”

PSEG Project Director Jason Kalwa defended the initiative, emphasizing its regional benefits. “This is going to keep the lights on,” Kalwa explained during a community information session. “A reliable grid is necessary for our way of living.”

The project was commissioned by PJM, the Regional Transmission Organization responsible for the electric grid in parts of 13 states, including Maryland. PJM cites increased electricity demand, driven largely by data center development and growing electrification of transportation and industry, as key factors necessitating the new transmission line.

While PSEG has expressed willingness to negotiate with property owners, the possibility of using eminent domain looms if agreements cannot be reached. This prospect has galvanized some residents, like Brad Schisler, who declared, “There’s no money that could make me accept this. It’s going to have to be through eminent domain, we are fighting it.”

As tensions rise, PSEG has yet to file a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) application with the Maryland Public Service Commission, a crucial step in gaining authority to construct the transmission line.