CULLMAN, Ala. ― The Tennessee Valley Authority has identified a preferred route for a new transmission line that would provide for growing electrical load and increase power reliability in the Trade area of Cullman County.

TVA is investing approximately $10 million to build 10.5 miles of transmission line to provide power to Cullman Electric Cooperative’s upgraded Trade Station located west of the intersection of County Roads 937 and 933. The new line would begin at Cullman EC’s existing Bremen 161-kilovolt substation located on Alabama Highway 69 and extend northwest to the upgraded Trade substation. This preferred route is alternative Route No. 3 proposed at an open house held in January 2020. 

The selected route is expected to have the least impact on the area, based on public input from the open house and additional evaluation of other factors, including social, environmental and engineering impacts. A National Environmental Policy Act review is also pending. A map of the project and additional information are available on the TVA website at www.tva.com/transmissionprojects.

The project will require new right of way. 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 would still own the property and be compensated for the easements at fair market value.

TVA is expected to begin surveys in winter-spring 2021 and start acquiring easements in fall 2022. Construction is scheduled to begin in winter 2022-2023.

TVA is investing $2.2 billion in transmission system improvements between 2019 and 2024 to continue our mission of providing low cost, reliable power. For more information about TVA and its 87-year mission of service to the Tennessee Valley, click here.