Wisconsin Supreme Court Backs Enbridge in Dane County Case

The High Court Decided Thursday That Enbridge had Sufficient Insurance

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled for Enbridge Energy in a case over whether the company could be required to get additional insurance for a pipeline project in Dane County.

Enbridge filed in 2014 to expand a pumping station so it could expand capacity of a pipeline running from northern Wisconsin to Illinois. But the county sought to require Enbridge to get extra insurance in case of spills.

The Legislature then blocked counties from requiring additional insurance on pipelines when the operator already carries comprehensive insurance. After Dane County required the extra insurance anyway, Enbridge won at the circuit court level, only to have an appeals court decide that Enbridge hadn’t proven it carried enough insurance.

The high court reversed that Thursday, writing that Enbridge already had sufficient insurance.