Eminent domain claims have been filed by Ameren in its efforts to create an electricity transmission line across Central Illinois.

Cases were filed in six counties earlier this month by Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois against landowners seeking condemnation of the land so that the company can construct the Illinois Rivers Transmission Line.

In the legal documents, Ameren is seeking a court-ruled determination of fair compensation because the company has been unable to agree to an amount with the landowners, despite what Ameren calls “good faith” attempts.

Construction for the one-point-four-billion-dollar, 345-thousand-volt power line project got underway in late September. Eminent domain use was approved last summer.

In a statement, Illinois Rivers Transmission Project director Clifford Waits said Ameren is using eminent domain “only as a last resort.”

The statements also says, “We have been successful in obtaining voluntary agreements in the vast majority of cases. Despite these efforts, we have been unable to come to voluntary agreements with a small number of property owners.”