Sumner County residents to receive mail about proposed 470-mile gas pipeline

Sumner County homeowners will receive a letter in the mail in the coming weeks. The notice concerns a new natural gas pipeline proposal that may route through the area. Southern Natural Gas Company, L.L.C., a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan, filed the plan for the Southeast Connector Project.

The proposed line spans approximately 470 miles. It would begin in Sumner County, Tennessee, and end in Monroe County, Georgia. The route crosses four Middle Tennessee counties: Sumner, Wilson, Smith, and Macon.

Kinder Morgan stated the project aims to meet rising demand for natural gas. The company also said the line would strengthen the regional energy grid. According to a fact sheet for the project, the pipeline is expected to generate about 7,000 temporary jobs during construction. The company estimates only 50 permanent positions will be created once the line is operational.

The project is currently in its early stages. Kinder Morgan plans to submit a pre-filing request to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by the end of 2026. A certificate application to the FERC is scheduled for the third quarter of 2027. Construction is targeted to begin at the end of 2028, with the pipeline expected to be fully operational by the end of 2030.

Kinder Morgan already operates a pipeline in Tennessee that runs through Knoxville. The company reports it contributes more than $38 million annually in state and local taxes. These funds support schools, infrastructure, and community services in Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia.

The United States has approximately 2.7 million miles of pipelines, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Tennessee alone contains more than 77,000 miles of gas pipelines. The new Southeast Connector Project would add to this existing network.

Residents in the affected counties will learn more details through the mailed letters. The company says the project offers major economic opportunities for communities along the route. The timeline for regulatory approval remains on track for 2027.