Tennessee Gas Pipeline Proceeds with Mississippi Crossing Project

A Kinder Morgan (KMI) company, Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP), received the green light for its Mississippi Crossing Project (MSX) after signing long-term capacity-transportation contracts with offtaking customers. Valued at approximately $1.4 billion, MSX, pending required permits and clearances, is expected to enter service in November 2028.

“The fundamentals in the natural gas market are robust, with significant growth expected over the next five years from LNG exports, exports to Mexico, and power generation,” said KMI CEO Kim Dang. “With today’s announcement, KMI has sanctioned approximately $3.1 billion (KMI share) in expansion capital between the SNG South System 4 Expansion and TGP’s Mississippi Crossing Project. We expect to announce additional projects in the coming months.”

MSX Details

The MSX project will transport up to 1.5 Bcf/d of natural gas over 206 miles of 42- and 36-inch pipelines. It begins near Greenville, MS and terminates near Butler, AL, with two new compressor stations and connections to TGP’s current pipeline system. MSX also connects to third-party pipelines to provide necessary natural gas access derived from numerous supply basins.

Map of MSX pipeline; image credit: Kinder Morgan

“This project will benefit the Southeast region as it will provide incremental access to diverse sources of supply,” said Sital Mody, Natural Gas Pipelines President. “The additional supply will help satisfy growing energy demand and lower energy costs, allowing power generators and other energy suppliers in the region to attract new residential, commercial and industrial opportunities. We are in final discussions with customers for up to an additional 0.4 Bcf/d of long-term commitments, which would require additional capital for incremental horsepower.”

Energy in Tennessee

In November 2024, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) signed a 10-year power purchase agreement with Argo Infrastructure Partners, Brookfield Asset Management, and Brookfield Renewable. The Cheoah, Calderwood, Chilhowee, and Santeetlah dams will supply more than 14 GWh of carbon-free electricity to TVA customers starting in 2025 and continuing over the next decade, supporting TVA’s transition toward net-zero emissions by 2050.

The dams, collectively known as the Smoky Mountain hydroelectric facilities, are jointly owned by Argo and Brookfield. The Smoky Mountain portfolio spans across four hydroelectric power facilities in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina, with a total capacity of 377 MW and generates a yearly average of 1.4 million MWh of energy. This power output is equivalent to avoiding ~1.1 million tons of CO₂ emissions annually.

And in May, GE Vernova received an order from TVA for 16 aeroderivative LM6000VELOX packages, each containing an LM6000 gas turbine and a generator, for installation at the Kingston Energy Complex on the Clinch River. The packages are expected to supply up to 850 MW of electricity, enhancing energy grid reliability and granting TVA’s consumers continuous access to affordable power.

The LM6000VELOX units are slated to begin operation in 2028 and include dual-fuel capability to run on natural gas or liquid fuels when required. The dry low emissions combustor configuration can meet emissions limits in compliance with the regional air district requirements and avoids water consumption for NOx emissions abatement. LM6000 gas turbines also have a quick start-up time, taking only five minutes to reach full power, and a high cyclic life to complement intermittent power from renewable sources. Its operational flexibility helps to stabilize the grid and reduce the risk of electricity supply shortages.