Largest solar farm in Tennessee now operational at Millington Naval Facility
The largest solar farm in the state of Tennessee recently began operations at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Mid-South in Millington.
The project is the result of a public-private partnership that included the City of Millington, the U.S. Navy, Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Silicon Ranch Corporation.
“Partnerships fuel innovation and we are proud of the work by community leaders, the U.S. Navy, and Silicon Ranch to expand solar technology in West Tennessee,” Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said. “We look forward to a continued partnership as we strengthen rural Tennessee, modernize our infrastructure, and prepare for the jobs of the future.”
Nashville-based Silicon Ranch, the U.S. solar platform for Shell and one of America’s largest independent solar power producers, constructed the 53-megawatt (MWAC) facility, which consists of more than 525,000 solar panels. The company will provide power to the NSA Mid-South and TVA at cost-competitive rates for the next twenty years.
As part of the partnership, Silicon Ranch signed a long-term lease with the U.S. Navy for 72 acres of base land and purchased an adjacent 348 acres from the Millington Industrial Development Board (MIDB).
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Facilities) James B. Balocki, Millington Mayor Terry Jones and additional representatives from Silicon Ranch, TVA, MLGW, and the U.S. Navy, hosted a ceremonial “flip the switch” event this week to celebrate the commissioning of the project. State, local and Navy officials, as well as a delegation from the Millington Municipal School District, also attended the dedication ceremony. After the event, students from the Millington Middle School STEM Robotics team received a tour of the solar facility.
