Tupelo, Mississippi (North Green Street)

Update – November 2021

TVA has identified the preferred location for transmission improvements that would provide power for growing load and increase power reliability in the northeastern Tupelo area of Lee County in Mississippi.    

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 route is expected to have the least overall project impacts of the alternatives.

TVA’s proposed half-mile-long line would begin at TVA’s existing Tupelo-Structure 119 161-kV Transmission Line and extend southwest to a new Tupelo Water and Light (TW&L) substation on the north side of North Green Street about a quarter of a mile southeast of the intersection of North Gloster Street (State Highway 145) and North Green Street.

The route selected as shown on map below was among those presented online during a public comment period July 1-30, 2021.    

The new line will be built using primarily double-pole, steel structures centered on new 100-foot-wide right of way.    

Surveys of the right of way are scheduled to begin in spring 2022.
Easement purchases are scheduled to begin in fall 2022.
Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2023.
The line is scheduled to be in service in fall 2023.

Background

TVA is considering improvements to its transmission system that would provide power for growing load and increase power reliability in the northeastern Tupelo area of Lee County in Mississippi.   

Tupelo Water & Light’s (TW&L’s) northeastern service area has current and projected electrical load increases in both residential and commercial growth. This area is served by the Tupelo Primary and Northwest Substations. This area also has reliability challenges regarding voltage drop and conductor loading. Current conductor sizes do not allow for capacity to serve the area in the event of the loss of a transformer in one of the two area substations. Also, this area has sustained a number of outages due to faults and maintenance. Due to the increase in electrical load and reliability issues in their northeastern service area, TW&L has requested a new 161-kilovolt delivery point.

TW&L would build a 161-kilovolt substation in the northeastern Tupelo area of Lee County on the north side of North Green Street about a quarter of a mile southeast of the intersection of North Gloster Street (State Highway 145) and North Green Street. 

TVA proposes to build from 0.5 to 0.85 miles of 161-kilovolt transmission line from our existing Tupelo-Structure 119 161-kilovolt Transmission Line to the new substation. The proposed line would be built using primarily steel, double-pole structures. This will be a loop configuration which means the line would be double-circuit with switches inside the substation property.

There are four loop point alternatives along TVA’s Tupelo-Structure 119 161-kilovolt Transmission Line which are east or northeast of the proposed substation. All alternatives are in Lee County. 

• Loop Point 1 is located at Structure 19 of TVA’s Tupelo-Structure 119 161-kilovolt Transmission Line located on the south side of U.S. Highway 45.
• Loop Point 2 is located between Structure 20A and 21 of TVA’s Tupelo-Structure 119 161-kilovolt Transmission Line located on the north side of U.S. Highway 45.
• Loop Point 3 is located at Structure 22 of TVA’s Tupelo-Structure 119 161-kilovolt Transmission Line located between North Gloster Street (State Highway 145) and U.S. Highway 45.
• Loop Point 4 is located at Structure 24 of TVA’s Tupelo-Structure 119 161-kilovolt Transmission Line located just off the north side of North Gloster Street (State Highway 145).

There are 11 alternative line segments under consideration for the route of the new transmission line. 

The scheduled completion date for this project is fall 2023.

TVA is gathering information and accepting comments about the proposed transmission project through July 30, 2021. 

The project is expected to be in service in fall 2023. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2023. (Dates are subject to change. Unexpected issues may arise, resulting in the need to adjust the schedule.)

TVA held a public comment period online July 1-30, 2021, to present the project.  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. Unexpected issues may arise, resulting in the need to adjust the schedule.)