WI Farm Stray Voltage Case Goes to Trail
A former central Wisconsin dairy farm couple are suing Wisconsin Power and Light Company and Associated Electric & Gas Insurance Services for damages they say were caused by stray voltage. Steven and Annette Weyerts of Junction City claim the utility was negligent for not solving the voltage issues, which eventually led them to sell off their herd and forced them into foreclosure back in 2009.
The Portage County case, which is currently being heard in neighboring Wood County, has gone before a jury trial this month. The Weyerts say the utility misled them about the voltage levels, which they say caused many of their cows to drop in production, and in some cases die from the problem.
WPLC Spokeswoman Annemarie Newman was quoted in media reports as saying the farm's electric service 'met state regulatory standards.' But the Weyerts dispute that claim and felt the utility should have done more to solve the issue.
Meanwhile, the insurance company is also being sued for not covering the damages of the stray voltage. And their real estate agent is a defendant in the case.
The couple are suing for the fair-market value of their cows, loss of milk production, injuries to their former dairy animals, veterinary expenses, and the loss of their farm.
The trial is expected to run through the end of August.