This gets complicated because if the utility wants to build a new line they have to acquire land and nobody is ever happy about that for good reason, and no one

This gets complicated because if the utility wants to build a new line they have to acquire land and nobody is ever happy about that for good reason, and no one wants to pay more in the short term. Look at the keystone pipeline, as there are huge political/social implications for transport of raw energy across large tracts of land.