Bristol, Tennessee Area Power Improvement Project Final Environmental Assessment

Sullivan County, Tennessee

On April 19, 2024, TVA issued a final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact for its proposed transmission improvements to provide power to Bristol Tennessee Essential Services’ (BTES) planned South Bristol 161-kV Substation by constructing, operating, and maintaining two separate 161-kV transmission lines to serve BTES’ new substation. TVA’s proposed Sullivan-South Bristol 161-kV Transmission Line and Bluff City-South Bristol 161-kV Transmission Line will result in about 14.2 miles of new transmission lines and right-of-way (ROW). TVA will purchase easements that provide the necessary rights to construct, operate, and maintain the proposed transmission line routes. TVA will acquire approximately 131.6 acres of new ROW easements and utilize an additional 40.5 acres of existing ROW. TVA will also install new fiber-optic ground wire on the transmission lines to facilitate communications with the TVA network.

The project will provide additional power sources into the Bristol area to alleviate loading concerns, provide BTES with additional operating flexibility, allow TVA and BTES to complete North American Electric Reliability Corporation required upgrades at the Bluff City 161-kV Substation, and support load growth and economic development in the Bristol area by adding necessary power capacity.

The EA evaluated the anticipated environmental impacts of the construction and operation of the new transmission lines.