Extended pipeline construction is set to be completed by Fall 2026
According to a report by WATE.com, the 122-mile Enbridge natural gas pipeline expansion that stretches from Smith County to TVA’s Kingston power plant has been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The pipeline will cut through Smith, Jackson, Putnam, Overton, Fentress, Morgan and Roane counties. It already runs from Robertson County to Trousdale County.
Extended pipeline construction is set to begin in the fall and be completed by Fall 2026.
From WATE.com:
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
Enbridge says its community presence fuels “quality of life through ongoing tax revenue.”
According to the company, in 2024:
- Enbridge paid $4.8 million in property tax across Tennessee for our pipelines and related facilities, such as terminals, storage facilities and pump/compressor stations.
- Enbridge paid $9.6 million in sales-and-use taxes, $1.7 million in franchise tax, and $536,000 in corporate income tax across Tennessee.
- On a national scale, Enbridge paid $663.5 million in property tax, $432.4 million in corporate income tax, $97.7 million in sales-and-use taxes and $52.2 million in other taxes (including franchise tax and payroll taxes) across the U.S., for a total of $1.24 billion.
The so-called, Ridgeline Expansion Project, will provide “affordable and cleaner energy for the utility’s customers,” according to Enbridge.
“We are proposing to design, construct and operate the Ridgeline Expansion Project (Ridgeline), an expansion of Enbridge’s existing East Tennessee Natural Gas (ETNG) system. The purpose of this is to provide natural gas to serve TVA’s natural gas replacement of the Kingston Fossil Plant,” according to Enbridge.
Photo via Freepik.
Copyright 2025 The Upper Cumberland Business Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Other stories you may want to check out:
