Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Jerry Zelenka Jr., 75, of Fredonia, Wisconsin, and his wife have spent more than three decades improving their rural property — planting trees and raising barns and outbuildings. Now a utility wants to run a high-voltage power line across it, and the landowners are saying no.
The offer
The written offer arrived in October 2026: $81,000 from American Transmission Co. (ATC) for a voluntary easement, plus another $50,000 if Zelenka signed quickly — $131,000 all told. He declined. ATC plans the line to serve a proposed 1.3-gigawatt AI data center in nearby Port Washington, a project known as "Project Lighthouse" that is being built for Oracle.
What the power line would take
The route would clear a corridor about 1,000 feet long and 75 feet wide through mature pines and hardwoods, including cedar, oak, ash, elm and black walnut. Six structures stand in its path: a shed, a chicken coop, a hog barn, a barn, a garage and a machine shed. Zelenka says his antique barn was left off the company's list but would also have to come down. A 130-foot transmission tower would go up near his driveway, with the wires running nearly overhead.
The bigger fight
Zelenka says ATC warned that it would turn to eminent domain — condemnation proceedings — if he refuses to sign. His public answer amounted to: see you in court. The standoff comes after Wisconsin's Public Service Commission unanimously rejected ATC's earlier application as incomplete in August 2026. The company has since refiled with new route options, and roughly two of the three proposed routes were expected to be chosen around October 15 for submission to the commission. The case has become a local flashpoint in the wider debate over property rights and new energy infrastructure.
Eminent domain rules vary from state to state, and anyone facing a similar situation should consult a local attorney. This article is general information, not legal advice.
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