The Tennessee Valley Authority has identified preferred locations for electric transmission upgrades that would reduce power outages and improve reliability in the Rugby-Sunbright area of eastern Tennessee.
A new substation and power line will provide additional power supply for Plateau Electric Cooperative’s service area to support future increased loads, reduce outages and improve backup power supply. As proposed by the No. 1 alternative, TVA would build the Rugby Substation and connect it to the Livingston-Huntsville 161-kilovolt transmission line. TVA would also build 7.25 miles of power line from the new Rugby Substation to Plateau Electric’s existing Sunbright Substation.
The selected route is expected to have the least impact on the area, based on public input from an open house in April 2014, and additional evaluation of other factors, including social, environmental and engineering impacts. A National Environmental Policy Act review is also pending.
TVA will meet with property owners along the proposed right-of-way to obtain easements for construction, operation and maintenance of the line. The project will require a new right of way. Property owners would still own the property and be compensated for the easements at fair market value.
TVA is expected to begin surveys this spring and start acquiring easements in spring 2016. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2017 on the substation and in summer 2017 on the power line with the project scheduled to be completed by fall 2018.
