Project Crucible – TVA Transmission Upgrades

Montgomery County, Tennessee

On September 11, 2026, TVA issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) addressing upgrades to its transmission system to support the proposed Project Crucible development in Montgomery County, Tennessee.

The U.S. Department of War (DoW) is considering financial assistance for Project Crucible to support the construction and operation by Crucible Metals, LLC of an integrated non-ferrous smelting and refining facility near Clarksville (at the site of the existing Crucible Zinc facility). The proposal would increase domestic processing capacity for critical minerals and strategic metals used in industrial, advanced manufacturing, and national defense applications.

Under the proposal, TVA would provide up to 230 megawatts of additional load to the facility, which would require several upgrades to the TVA transmission system near the project location. TVA actions to support additional load would include the construction of a new switching station and a 0.95-mile transmission line near the facility’s location. In addition, TVA would reconductor and install optical ground wire along two existing TVA transmission lines (about 26 miles in total) in the Clarksville area. Full power availability is anticipated in 2029.

In compliance with NEPA, DoW published an Environmental Assessment (EA) and its FONSI addressing Project Crucible on September 11, 2026. DoW served as the lead federal agency for the environmental review, with TVA serving as a cooperating agency. TVA’s FONSI also addresses its determination that the EA adequately addresses TVA supporting actions and that additional review is not required; TVA adopts the DoW EA, consistent with TVA procedures.

The DoW EA and FONSI are attached to the TVA FONSI below.  Additional information on this project is available here.

Additional Documents

Finding of No Significant Impact