The Georgia Transmission Corporation (GTC) announced Friday that a new substation and transmission line will be built near Richmond Hill.

The projects should help guarantee reliable electric service for Bryan County’s growing population, according to the GTC press release. The substation and transmission line are being built for Coastal Electric Cooperative and equal a $4.5 million investment in the county’s electric infrastructure.

The Burnt Church-Keller 115 kV Transmission Line will connect the current Burnt Church Substation to the new Keller Substation, near Oak Level Road in Richmond Hill.

Whit Hollowell, CEO of Coastal Electric Cooperative, said the company requested GTC create a new substation in order "to ensure that our members in Bryan County will have reliable electrical service, now and in the future," he said in the release.

GTC said there are several considerations for a new substation site. They take into account the community’s input, current and future land use, environmental regulations, engineering requirements, and the area’s specific electrical needs, the release said.

According to Jeannine Rispin, senior public relations representative, GTC’s main goal is to "minimize the impact to the community while meeting the needs of the electric system," she said.

Clearing activities began this week, and construction is scheduled to start sometime next week. The substation and transmission line is estimated to be ready for service by Nov. 1; GTC will own and operate the new facilities.

GTC is a nonprofit cooperative responsible for transmitting electricity from power suppliers to almost 40 customer-owned Electric Member Corporations, including Coastal Electric Cooperative.