HARRIMAN, Tenn. (WATE) — A 122-mile natural gas pipeline expansion cutting through East Tennessee has been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
The Ridgeline pipeline will stretch from Smith County to the TVA’s Kingston power plant, which is in the process of moving from coal to natural gas . To fuel the plant, Enbridge’s pipeline company plans to extend its pipeline, which already runs from Robertson County to Trousdale County, all the way to Roane County.
No danger to public after leak at Sonoco Metal Packaging in Jefferson County
Construction is set to begin in the fall and be completed by Fall 2026, according to Enbridge’s website . The pipeline will go through Smith, Jackson, Putnam, Overton, Fentress, Morgan and Roane counties.
The pipeline expansion has received pushback from environmentalists . The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy claims the pipeline would put Tennesseans in harm’s way.
“In fact, more than a quarter of the route is classified as a High Consequence Area and could result in the loss of life if the pipeline fails and explodes due to a landslide, a seismic event, an accident, or a construction fault. Even if the pipeline operates safely for its lifetime, Tennesseans will still be left footing the bill for TVA’s unwise decision to double down on expensive, dirty fossil gas rather than investing in energy efficiency, demand reduction programs, renewables, and battery storage.”
Statement from SACE following the pipeline’s approval Proposed 900-home development in Sevier County draws opposition from locals
The approval documents from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission refute this claim, stating that East Tennessee has taken “sufficient steps to minimize adverse impacts on landowners and surrounding communities.”…