After 3 years and $100 million invested, the biggest solar farm in Tennessee is ready for use in Millington.
The solar farm was once a horse ranch, owned by the city for two decades, which the Navy base in the area paid to maintain. Now, a partnership with the city of Millington; Tennessee Valley Authority; Memphis Light, Gas, and Water; the Navy, and Silicon Ranch is giving the space new life.
“The maintenance of that horse farm cost the Navy resources that could be devoted to readiness,” Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy James B. Balocki said to the Daily Memphian. “Those are resources today are now devoted to the readiness of our fleet. That, to me, is the victory of a project like this.”
The 400 acre array houses a 53 MW solar capacity, and the solar panels have a tracking system that makes them follow the sun throughout the day. The project is due to provide energy to 7,500 homes and prevent the cost of electric utilities from increasing over the next twenty years.
Read more about the project here.