The Tennessee Valley Authority has identified a preferred location for a new transmission line in Clay County that would increase power reliability in the community and support growing load. Public feedback and additional information informed the preferred route selection for the new line.
The selected route is expected to have the least impact on the area based on public input received from in-person and virtual open houses with the additional evaluation of other factors, including social, environmental and engineering impacts. A National Environmental Policy Act review is also pending.
TVA's new power line will tap the future Hayesville-Woods Grove 161-kV line outside the Hayesville station. The line will head east and cross the Hiawassee River and Highway 64 before heading northeast. The line will cross mountainous terrain before coming back across Highway 64 to the new Shooting Creek substation site on Burnt Schoolhouse Road. The final tap arrangement will consist of two motor-operated disconnects and one manual switch. The new line will be a single-circuit 161-kV line utilizing 100-wide right-of-way. The substation will be constructed by Blue Ridge Mountain Electric Membership Corporation.
The preferred route has not been adjusted from what was proposed at the open house on Dec. 4, 2025, and a virtual open house was held from Dec. 2025 through June 2026; no additional property owners will be affected.
TVA will meet with property owners along the proposed right-of-way to obtain easements for construction, operation and maintenance of the line. Property owners would still own the property and be compensated for the easements at fair market value. TVA is expected to begin surveys in fall/winter 2026 and start acquiring easements summer/fall 2027. Construction is scheduled to begin in winter/spring 2028 and be completed in 2029. Additional information is available on the TVA website at: www.tva.com/transmissionprojects.