Oncor Wins Ruling in Condemnation Dispute with DART

AUSTIN – The Texas Supreme Court cited a 2011 state law extending the power of electric utilities to condemn land to rule in favor of Oncor Electric Delivery Co.’s request for an aerial easement over the Trinity Railway Express commuter line.

The case grew out of a dispute over how much Oncor should pay to run lines over tracks owned by the Dallas Area Rapid Transit and Fort Worth Transportation Authority, also called The T. Although the utility had successfully negotiated similar rights-of-way with DART hundreds of times before, in this instance the parties could not reach agreement.