Tennessee Valley Authority
Gordon and Whitfield Counties, Georgia
Power Supply Upgrade
To improve reliability and meet the growing demand for reliable electric power in north Georgia, TVA is proposing the construction of a new 15.5-mile transmission line.
The line would extend from TVA’s Center Point Substation south of Dalton to a new TVA Moss Lake substation near Calhoun. Approximately 3.3 miles of existing vacant right-of-way would be used, with 12.2 miles of new right-of-way needing to be acquired. This transmission line would connect to North Georgia Electric Membership Corporation’s Tilton Substation.
North Georgia EMC’s load in South Whitfield and Gordon Counties – between Dalton and Calhoun, Georgia – has grown by 42 percent in the past 10 years and is forecast to average 4 percent growth each year over the next decade. The equipment in the Butler substation in Calhoun has exceeded its capacity and the site cannot be expanded due to space limitations.
The transmission line would be constructed on a 150-foot-wide right-of-way using double-circuit (230/115-kV) steel pole structures.
Alternative Solutions Studied
TVA has studied several alternative solutions.
Doing nothing is not a viable option due to population growth. Reliability of service may be jeopardized and extended outages may occur in the area. Load growth trends are expected to overload the current system. Additional transmission capacity is needed in preparation for future growth.
Upgrading the existing system is not an option because the majority of this demand is currently served from one line and a second source is needed. Building the second line from an alternative direction will provide another source of power in case of an outage on one of the lines.
Paralleling the existing Conasauga-Bowen 500-kV line is not viable due to environmental constraints (the presence of wetlands) and impacts to homeowners, who would have to be relocated.
Public involvement
TVA will held an open house to get public input into plans for the new transmission line.
TVA’s process for siting new transmission projects is designed to afford substantial public input at all stages. TVA is committed to working with area stakeholders to address concerns during the course of the project.
Map
The map shows alternative routes of the proposed transmission. The route has been divided into sections that are indicated on the map by the numbers 1 through 3. Click on the links below to view an illustrated map of each section (PDF file, requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).
Parcels on the maps do not represent actual property information. The parcels correspond to county tax maps, but are not exact replicas.
Map of area 1 (219 kb, PDF)
Map of area 2 (151 kb, PDF)
Map of area 3 (91 kb, PDF)
Environmental Reviews
About one-fifth of the work for the power supply upgrade project will be conducted on existing easements. In keeping with TVA’s commitment to resource stewardship, the appropriate National Environmental Policy Act review has been conducted to ensure that the environmental impacts are minimized. Read the environmental assessment.
Project schedule
Open house: October 7, 2004
Comments accepted: Through November 8, 2004
Determine preferred route for field surveys: Late fall 2004
Property owners contacted for permission to survey: Early winter 2005
Conduct field surveys and environmental reviews: Spring – summer 2005
Complete environmental review: Fall 2005
Begin right-of-way acquisitions: Winter 2005
Complete line and Moss Lake Substation: Late fall 2008
Related information
Electric and magnetic fields and their effects.
Benefits of planting native shrubs and grasses in utility rights-of-way.
- Landscaping with native shrubs (PDF file, 879 kb)
- Landscaping with native grasses (PDF file, 644 kb)