Transpower says its payments to some Otago landowners for disruption during a lines upgrade should not cause others to think they will get compensation.
A total of 130 landowners between the Clutha and Waitaki rivers will receive one-off payments from Transpower, totalling about $2 million.
Recent upgrade projects, including the Roxburgh-Islington line in South Canterbury, have been blighted by disputes with farmers about compensation for access to their land.
Transpower says the Otago payments will not set a precedent.
The company says it has a right to access private property to carry out maintenance and only farms disrupted by a major upgrade may be compensated.