NATURAL GAS PIPELINE EXPANSION TO GO THROUGH SEVERAL LOCAL COUNTIES
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved a 122-mile expansion of the Ridgeline natural gas pipeline in East Tennessee. The pipeline, built by Enbridge, will extend from Smith County to the TVA’s Kingston power plant in Roane County, passing through Smith, Jackson, Putnam, Overton, Fentress, Morgan, and Roane counties.
It aims to support the power plant’s transition from coal to natural gas. Construction is scheduled to begin in Fall 2025 and is expected to be completed by Fall 2026.
Environmental groups, like the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, oppose the project, arguing it poses risks to high-consequence areas and locks Tennessee into costly fossil fuels instead of cleaner alternatives. However, the Commission’s approval documents assert that sufficient measures are in place to reduce negative impacts on local communities and landowners.
A separate note indicates no public danger resulted from a leak at Sonoco Metal Packaging in Jefferson County, though it’s unrelated to the pipeline project.
