North Dayton Power System Improvements

Meigs and Rhea Counties, Tennessee

On October 30, 2020, TVA issued a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the proposal to increase the existing power supply in Meigs and Rhea Counties, Tennessee (TN). This EA addressed the proposed actions taken by TVA to construct, operate and maintain a 12-mile 161-kV Transmission Line (TL) Loop from TVA’s Sequoyah Nuclear Plant (NP)-Watts Bar Hydro Plant (HP) 161-kV TL. Additionally, two breakers and bays would be installed in the TVA North Dayton, TN 161-kV Switching Station, thus splitting the Sequoyah NP-Watts Bar HP into two TLs.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Act’s implementing regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality ([CEQ]; 40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 1500-1508), federal agencies are required to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of their proposed actions. This EA was prepared to assess the potential impacts of TVA’s Proposed Action on the environment in accordance with CEQ’s and TVA’s procedures for implementing NEPA (TVA 1983).

The EA studied two alternatives: (1) the No Action alternative which TVA would not provide an increase in power supply to in Meigs and Rhea Counties, TN, and (2) the Action Alternative which TVA would provide an increase in new power supply to Meigs and Rhea Counties, TN.

Additional information on this project is available, including background information, maps, and a project schedule. The EA and FONSI are available through the links below.