Land Acquisition

Our goal is to reach voluntary agreements with property owners.

The typical process includes:

• Initial Contact – We reach out to introduce the project and begin a conversation.

• Property Survey & Evaluation – Independent assessments help determine fair market value.

• Offer & Negotiation – We present a written offer and work collaboratively to address questions or concerns.

• Agreement – When an agreement is reached, we finalize the terms and proceed accordingly.

   

We communicate openly throughout the process to ensure you feel informed and supported.

We follow a structured and fair approach to compensation, offering payment that reflects or exceeds market value. Our goal is to reach an outcome that is fair and mutually agreeable.

Not necessarily. In many cases, we only need a portion of land—called a right-of-way or easement—rather than full property ownership. This allows you to continue using your land in certain ways, depending on the agreement.

Learn more about Easements

Energy infrastructure like transmission lines and substations helps ensure electricity remains reliable and affordable for the communities we serve. As Georgia continues to grow, we must responsibly expand and strengthen the grid to meet increasing demand.

We follow a comprehensive, multi-step evaluation process led by a cross-functional team of experts.

This includes reviewing:

• Existing land uses (residential, agricultural, commercial, etc.)

• Opportunities to use or align with existing utility and road corridors

• Environmental factors such as wetlands, floodplains, and wildlife

• Engineering, safety, and reliability requirements

• Community considerations, including proximity to homes and public spaces

• Construction and long-term maintenance costs

   

Each potential route involves tradeoffs, and we work to identify a practical and feasible option that balances reliability, community impact, and environmental stewardship.

Eminent domain is a legal process that allows utilities to acquire land for essential infrastructure when an agreement cannot be reached. However, it is used as a last resort.

Our focus is always on working collaboratively with property owners to reach voluntary agreements.

• Eminent domain is considered only after all reasonable efforts to negotiate in good faith have been exhausted. 

• It is used in less than 1% of land transactions.

We understand this is a sensitive topic and remain committed to transparency, respect, and fairness throughout the process.

We recognize every property—and every situation—is unique.

Our team is committed to:

• Listening to your concerns and answering questions clearly

• Providing timely updates throughout the process

• Working to minimize impacts wherever feasible

• Treating you with respect and professionalism at every step

Acquiring land for critical infrastructure helps ensure the energy grid remains strong, resilient, and capable of meeting future needs—while helping to keep costs as low as possible for all customers.

Detailed surveys are conducted to gather information about the land, including topography, property boundaries, existing infrastructure, and environmental conditions.

We comply with all applicable state laws and only seek temporary entry rights sufficient to perform reasonable and minimally intrusive investigations as required under Georgia law.

These efforts help determine if acquiring any easement rights may be necessary and support route selection, environmental review, historical and cultural resource evaluation, engineering analysis, and project planning.

Soil testing and environmental research are carried out to ensure the land is suitable for construction and to identify any potential environmental impacts.

As we work to expand and enhance our power grid to serve a growing state, we strive to minimize our impact on neighbors and communities. Our teams make every effort to be courteous and considerate when accessing property, including providing advance notice to property owners.

In most cases, property owners grant us access. However, if legal access is refused, we may need to proceed through the courts. This legal filing is strictly related to survey activities and does not involve pursuing eminent domain.