Bristol, Tennessee (South Bristol)

Update – August 2023

The schedule for this project has been adjusted as follows. (Dates are subject to change. Unexpected issues may arise, resulting in the need to adjust the schedule.)

Sullivan-South Bristol Transmission Line

• Realty appraisals begin - Late summer 2023
• Easement purchase begins - Spring 2024
• Right of way clearing begins - Early summer 2025
• Construction begins - Late summer 2025
• Project in service - Winter 2025-2026

Bluff City-South Bristol Transmission Line

• Realty appraisals begin - Late summer 2023
• Easement purchase begins - Winter 2024-2025
• Right of way clearing begins - Early winter 2025-2026
• Construction begins - Late winter 2025-2026
• Project in service - Spring 2026

Background 2

TVA has identified the preferred locations for transmission improvements that would provide power for growing load and increase power reliability in the Bristol, Tennessee area. 

TVA evaluated each route using social, engineering, and environmental factors.  Information sources included available data, aerial photography, limited onsite reviews, public review and comment, and property owner input.  Based on public input and evaluation, the preferred routes are expected to have the least overall project impacts of the alternatives.  

The new Sullivan-South Bristol line will be 10.8 miles long.  It will begin at TVA’s Sullivan 500-kV Station and end at the new South Bristol 161-kV Station. 

The new Bluff City-South Bristol line will be 3.4 miles long.  It will begin at TVA’s Bluff City 161-kV Station and end at the new South Bristol 161-kV Station

The preferred locations for the new lines were selected from several options presented at a virtual open house from January 14 through February 16, 2021.  Based on public input and evaluation, the preferred routes are expected to have the least overall project impacts of the alternatives.

The new lines will be built using primarily steel, single- and double-pole structures centered on a combination of existing and new 100-foot-wide right of way.    

Surveys of the right of way are scheduled to begin in winter-spring 2022.

Easement purchases are scheduled to begin in fall 2022.

Construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2023.

The lines are scheduled to be in service in spring 2024.

Background 1

Proposed Transmission Project

TVA is considering improvements to its transmission system that would provide power for growing load and increase power reliability in the Bristol, Tennessee area.   

Bristol Tennessee Essential Services (BTES) provides power to their service area from the Bluff City and Blountville 161-kilovolt Stations which they own jointly with TVA. These stations, along with TVA’s South Holston Hydro Plant, feed into BTES’s extensive 69-kilovolt system which is near capacity. 

The Blountville Station is projected to exceed its guaranteed available (i.e., “firm”) capacity by winter 2021 based on forecasted system loading. The Bluff City Station is heavily loaded and could also overload in extreme conditions if power from the South Holston Hydro Plant is not available. Currently, the complete loss of either the Bluff City or Blountville Station during heavy loading conditions would result in an overload of the remaining substation. This overload scenario is worsened if the loss of either station should occur during a time when South Holston Hydro Plant generation is not available. Additionally, the loss of the Bluff City Station during heavy loading conditions creates heavy load flows on the entire 69-kilovolt system which could result in depressed system voltages and loss of load on the system.

Because the Bluff City Station cannot be taken out of service for any period of time due to current system conditions, BTES and TVA have been unable to complete upgrades to the station required by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation.

The BTES service area has also been growing steadily for the last five years.  BTES has received several inquiries from potential customers about locating at their industrial parks. BTES would not be able to accommodate these potential new customers with the current loading on their system. This project would increase power reliability and support growing load in the Bristol, Tennessee area.

BTES proposes to build a new station, South Bristol 161-kilovolt Station, with very high capacity. Based on the new station’s increased capacity and BTES’s plans to provide for long-range growth and system backup needs, TVA proposes to provide two separate sources of power and would build two transmission lines from the grid into the new South Bristol Station. 

BTES will build the South Bristol 161-kilovolt Station between Weaver Pike and State Route 394 in Bristol, Tennessee.  TVA would serve the new station by building two single-circuit 161-kilovolt transmission lines that would each terminate at the new South Bristol Station. One new line would begin at TVA’s Sullivan 500-kilovolt Station, and the other would begin at TVA’s Bluff City 161-kilovolt Station.

The lines would be built using steel, single- and double-pole structures centered on existing and new 100-foot-wide right of way. The Sullivan-South Bristol Transmission Line would be approximately 9.4 to 12.7 miles long, and the Bluff City-South Bristol Transmission Line would be about 3.4 to 5.4 miles long. 

In order to use existing right of way to the extent practical, TVA would parallel existing TVA power lines and may parallel an existing BTES line. In these areas, some new right of way would be required to attain the 100-foot width needed for TVA’s new lines. Also, TVA may utilize the vacant side of an existing line which would require no new right of way.

Property owners near and along the alternative transmission line segments have been invited to a virtual open house by mail – including about 346 property owners representing about 524 parcels.

The virtual open house is available from January 14 through February 16, 2021, at www.tvavirtual.com/bristol.

Property owners and members of the public are invited to submit comments and questions about this proposed transmission project through February 16, 2021.

The project is expected to be in service in spring 2024. Construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2023.  (Dates are subject to change. During projects of this magnitude, unexpected issues may arise, resulting in the need to adjust the schedule.)

TVA held a virtual open house online from January 14 through February 16, 2021, to present the project.  Within this 30-day comment period, property owners and members of the public were able to submit questions and comments online, in writing, or by telephone.

(Dates are subject to change. During projects of this magnitude, unexpected issues may arise, resulting in the need to adjust the schedule.)

Sullivan-South Bristol Transmission Line

Sullivan-South Bristol Transmission Line