Tennessee Valley Authority
TVA Identifies Preferred Route for Bells Substation Transmission Line
October 8, 2010
BELLS, Tenn. ― The Tennessee Valley Authority has identified a preferred route for a new transmission line that would serve Gibson Electric Membership Corp.’s Bells Substation, which Gibson is upgrading.
The 7.7-mile transmission line and upgraded substation would replace aging electrical equipment to provide more reliable service to the area. The 161-kilovolt transmission line would extend south from the existing 161-kilovolt Alamo Substation, located north of Alamo off Highway 88, to Bells Substation, west of Bells on Cherryville Road.
The preferred route for the proposed transmission line would use portions of almost 5 miles of existing right-of-way. The route is expected to have the least impact among the alternatives studied. A National Environmental Policy Act review is pending.
The route affects approximately 40 parcels. TVA will meet with property owners along the proposed right-of-way to obtain easements for construction, operation and maintenance of the line. Property owners will still own the property and be compensated for easements at fair market value.
TVA proposes to acquire a 100-foot easement along 2.7 miles of new right-of-way and an additional 25 feet of easement along 5 miles of existing right-of-way.
TVA is expected to begin surveys this winter and start acquiring easements during fall 2011. Construction is scheduled to begin during fall 2012. Project completion is scheduled for May 2013.
TVA selected the preferred route after receiving public comments on the various options and weighing their environmental, land use, engineering, cultural and cost factors. The preferred route consists of alternative segments 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15 and 18, with section 18 being modified from what was presented at the open house. A map of the project and additional information is available at www.tva.com/power/projects.
The Tennessee Valley Authority, a corporation owned by the U.S. government, provides electricity for 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern states at prices below the national average. TVA, which receives no taxpayer money and makes no profits, also provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists utilities and state and local governments with economic development.
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