Lawsuit already filed against Duke Energy

Published 10:00 pm Wednesday, July 22, 2015

The first legal action against Duke Energy to run transmission power lines Campobello, S.C. and Asheville has already drawn strong opposition and now a lawsuit.

About 500 people came out to a meeting in Landrum Tuesday held by Duke Power and another couple hundred to a Polk County Commissioner meeting Monday against the plans.

Gracie Knie owns 20 acres next to where the new substation is planned and on Tuesday her attorney and husband Patrick went before a judge.

Knie said they are asking the court to allow them to gather information that otherwise wouldn’t be available, including access to the Duke property in hopes of building their case.

She said somebody has to come forward and take meaningful, structured action.

The court filing on Tuesday was the beginning of the first litigation, with opponents saying they expect more lawsuits will follow.

Duke Energy says nothing is definite yet and wants to finalize a plan by the end of this year and start construction by 2017.

The next public meeting and the last announced is scheduled for today, Thursday, July 23 at the Blue Ridge Community College from 4-7 p.m. The college is located at 180 W. Campus Drive, Flat Rock with the meeting to be held at the Technology Education and Development Center, Blue Ridge Conference Hall, Courtland, McIntosh, Gala Rooms.