Bridle Bit Ranch Company v. Basin Electric Power Cooperative
Wyoming Supreme Court
118 P.3d 996 (2005)
- Written by Colette Routel, JD
Facts
Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin) (plaintiff) sued a group of private landowners, including Bridle Bit Ranch Company (collectively, Ranch) (defendants) seeking to condemn a right-of-way through their properties for the construction of a power-transmission line. Basin was a for-profit company that supplied electricity to its distribution cooperatives; it was not a public utility. Basin introduced evidence that the transmission line it intended to construct was necessary to provide electrical power to the area, which had increasing needs due to the development of coalbed methane. Basin also introduced evidence demonstrating that it had examined many different routes for the power line and ultimately attempted to choose the route that best fulfilled the criteria for the project, while considering competing interests. Ranch argued that Basin was a for-profit company that developed this route to ensure the transmission line avoided public lands whenever possible, but that this approach did not create the least injury. The trial court rejected this argument, and Ranch appealed.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Hill, C.J.)
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