TVA Identifies Preferred Route for Bolivar Transmission Line
January 26, 2006
BOLIVAR, Tenn. – TVA has identified a preferred route for a new transmission line that will improve the reliability of TVA’s power supply in the Bolivar area.
The new line will provide a second source of power to the Bolivar Electric Department at the Bolivar substation. By having two lines, TVA will be able to serve the electrical load in the area if one line is not in service.
The five-mile preferred route for the new line begins at TVA’s existing Selmer-Hickory Valley 161-kilovolt transmission line, just east of Sain Road. The route follows the east side of Sain Road for about 2.5 miles before turning northwest. After crossing Highway 18, the route joins with an existing TVA transmission line and runs parallel to that line the remaining distance to the substation.
Although this route is not the shortest feasible option studied, it minimizes the overall impact to the community when compared with other alternative routes as a result of sharing right-of-way with existing roads and transmission lines.
The route affects approximately 22 property tracts. Generally, TVA acquires 100-foot right-of-way for a transmission line, but the width of new right-of-way will vary from 60-100 feet because the route is parallel to roads and existing lines. The line will be built using single steel poles.
TVA’s decision follows evaluation of public input on 16 alternative route segments. TVA’s objective is to select the best overall path for the line, weighing the same environmental, land use, engineering and cost considerations to ensure that overall project impacts, as well as impacts to the community at large, are minimized. The route selected may not always be the shortest or least expensive option.
A map of the project and additional information is available.
TVA has notified property owners by letter of the preferred route. TVA will contact property owners by telephone to answer questions and coordinate access for environmental and engineering surveys, which are scheduled to begin by spring of this year. A decision regarding the final route location is subject to completion of the environmental review.
TVA is expected to begin acquiring easements for the transmission right-of-way during the winter of 2006-07. Construction is scheduled to begin during the spring of 2007 with project completion scheduled for the summer of 2007.
TVA is the nation’s largest public power provider and is completely self-financed. TVA provides power to large industries and 158 power distributors that serve approximately 8.6 million consumers in seven southeastern states.
Media Contact
Myra Ireland, Chattanooga, (423) 751-7153
TVA News Bureau, Knoxville, (865) 632-6000
