At the Trousdale County Commission meeting on Monday night, Mayor Jack McCall updated commissioners on the recent decision by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to convert the Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County to natural gas, as a cleaner-burning alternative to the current use of coal.
This decision directly affects Trousdale County, as energy infrastructure company Enbridge, operators of the East Tennessee Natural Gas (ETNG) pipeline, has plans to build a compressor station in Hartsville that will help run the new TVA plant.
In addition to the compressor station, Enbridge has plans to expand its already existing pipeline that will provide natural gas to the new Kingston plant, as a part of its 125-mile Ridgeline Expansion Project.
The majority of the Ridgeline Expansion Project’s new pipeline, which will begin in Trousdale County and terminate in Roane County, will be located within the existing pipeline’s right-of-way, in order to minimize any negative impacts to the surrounding environment and landowners.
“I would like to inform the (commission) that TVA approved converting the Kingston plant from coal to gas, which was officially approved by the board,†said McCall.
“And I think there are some meetings with Enbridge coming up.â€
Representatives from Enbridge have given assurances to the county that the expansion project will move quickly over a one-year span, with plans to break ground in the fall of 2025 and be completed by the fall of 2026.
Nevertheless, the energy company is currently in the process of purchasing property, located off of Boat Dock Road in Hartsville, which is a part of Bratton Legacy, LLC. The property will be used to build the compressor station and an 80-acre solar energy facility, as the new compressor station will draw 50% of its energy from solar power.
“East Tennessee (Natural Gas) is moving to complete the purchase of the Bratton property,†said McCall. “I met with them this week and was informed that the purchase of that property is underway. That’s going to be completed right away, which means that they will move quickly.â€
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