Land Faces Being Seized in Multiple States to Build Data Centers

Why is MAGA okay with this?

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T

July 18, 2026 -- The rapid build-out of artificial intelligence data centers is putting new pressure on electric grids, and in several states, that pressure is reaching homeowners and farmers through proposed transmission lines.

In Georgia, some residents say they are being forced to sell their property for a Georgia Power transmission project that the utility says will primarily serve data centers, CBS News reported.

The legal tool at issue is eminent domain, the power to take private property for a public use. Under the Fifth Amendment, private property cannot be taken for public use without "just compensation," generally tied to fair market value.

Georgia Power told CBS News that a new transmission line is needed in the state because demand has outpaced the existing grid. The company estimated that 70 to 80 percent of the power on the new line would help serve data centers, with the rest serving residential and commercial growth.

CBS reported that the project requires acquiring more than 300 parcels, including residential properties, and that one Coweta County family reached an agreement to sell after saying the utility could otherwise seek the property through eminent domain. Georgia Power said eminent domain is "always" a last resort and that it has done the process responsibly.

Georgia Power previously told Newsweek: "Using eminent domain is a last resort for our company when all other options have been exhausted and, in fact, less than 1 percent of all of the land transactions we reach involve it."

They said that line was being developed "to serve increased load growth in the area, which may include new manufacturing and residents, data centers, as well as add overall reliability and resiliency for the area," adding that it was not being developed for any single customer.

"We have agreements with the majority of the homeowners whose houses need to be acquired for this project and are continuing negotiations with the few remaining properties," the Georgia Power spokesperson said.

Similar Concerns Raised in Other States

Similar concerns have surfaced in Virginia, where Northern Virginia's "Data Center Alley" has prompted a series of transmission projects. NBC4 Washington reported that Dominion Energy's Golden to Mars project could run through part of an Ashburn homeowner's yard, with a 185-foot power pole planned on her property after state regulators approved a route.

Newsweek contacted Dominion Energy via email for comment.

In Pennsylvania, farmers in Union and Lycoming counties are opposing a proposed PPL Electric Utilities line that would serve a data center complex planned by PNK Group at Great Stream Commons in Allenwood, southernminn.com reported.

At a Pennsylvania Farm Bureau event, landowners and farm advocates tied the dispute to eminent domain reform, arguing that farmers should be more fully compensated if land is taken for public use. One farmer characterized the proposed line as serving a single customer rather than the broader grid, according to the outlet. Newsweek contacted PPL and PNK for comment.

In Maryland, farmers are fighting the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, a proposed 67-mile transmission line across Baltimore, Frederick and Carroll counties, NBC News reported.

Landowners have posted signs saying "No eminent domain for corporate gain," and NBC reported that the New Jersey-based utility company responsible for building the line, Public Service Enterprise Group, has floated using eminent domain if landowners do not agree to host the line. "Without these upgrades, Maryland may face severe grid congestion, threatening both affordability and reliability for ratepayers," PSEG said in a statement reported by the outlet.

Newsweek reached out to PSEG for comment via email.

In Indiana, concerns are emerging around Google's planned data center near Monrovia. AES Indiana says it is proposing an approximately 10-mile, 345-kilovolt transmission line in Morgan County and that no final route has been selected.

Indiana Public Media reported that a consumer advocacy group warned that AES could use eminent domain to acquire the route, while AES says the project is broader than a single customer and would benefit the region.

"While potential large-load customers, including data centers, are evaluated as part of future planning, transmission projects are designed to support the broader electric system. Transmission projects are planned years in advance based on systemwide needs, not to serve a single customer," its website reads. "Any large-load customer must complete a separate planning, approval and cost-allocation process before service is provided."

Data Centers Across U.S. Face Growing Backlash

Backlash to data centers continues to grow nationwide, with residents across the country voicing concerns including over the facilities' energy consumption, water use, and noise. The Trump administration, meanwhile, has argued that accelerating data center development is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge over countries like China in the race to lead AI development.

A national day of protest against data centers is planned across the U.S. for July 18, Newsweek previously reported, while environmental activist Erin Brockovich—known for her role in helping build a case against Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) over groundwater contamination in California—has launched a nationwide tracking map, gathering reports from local communities detailing their concerns.

"The race to build AI infrastructures is unfolding town by town across America. In some places, data centers are welcomed," Brockovich said. "In others, they are delayed, contested or abandoned altogether."