Construction has officially kicked off on a 122-mile natural gas pipeline stretching across East Tennessee — a project aimed at strengthening fuel supply for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) as it moves away from coal-fired power generation.

The project, known as the Ridgeline Expansion Project, is being developed by Enbridge Inc. through its subsidiary, East Tennessee Natural Gas LLC. Once completed, the new line will help deliver natural gas to TVA’s Kingston site, where the utility plans to replace aging coal units with modern, gas-powered facilities.

According to Enbridge, the pipeline will largely follow existing rights-of-way to reduce new land disturbances, with about 91% of the route overlapping current utility corridors. The project includes a new compressor station powered by electricity, as well as roughly 80 acres of solar capacity to offset emissions from operations.

Federal approval for the pipeline was granted earlier this year after an environmental review concluded that any potential impacts would be minimal with the right mitigation measures in place. Construction began in October 2025, and the project is expected to enter service by late 2026, with full restoration of affected areas targeted for spring 2027.

Officials say the pipeline will play a key role in ensuring stable energy supplies for the region, especially as TVA transitions away from coal and expands its cleaner energy portfolio. Local businesses are also expected to benefit from job opportunities and economic activity during the construction phase.

However, some environmental advocates remain skeptical, arguing that the project continues to lock the region into fossil fuel dependency despite national efforts to cut carbon emissions.

Still, Enbridge and TVA maintain that the Ridgeline Expansion Project represents a “practical bridge” toward a more sustainable energy future for Tennessee — one that balances reliability, cleaner power, and regional growth.