Solar Farm Under Construction

TREZEVANT — Silicon Ranch is constructing its 6.5 megawatt solar array in Trezevant. The project was started in September and should be operational by May, 2025, assuming all necessary equipment arrives to complete the construction. Located at Power Station Road, Trezevant, the array will connect with Carroll County Electric Department (CCED) and provide lower-cost electricity to CCED as compared to purchasing the power from TVA.

During the November meeting, the Carroll County Electric Department’s board of directors approved revised substation improvement plans for the Trezevant substation to support installing the new solar array, adjacent to the department’s substation in Trezevant.

Due to some increased costs associated with the project, CCED approved splitting the additional fee of $383,000 equally with Silicon Ranch, a Tennessee-based company that will own and operate the solar array and supply electricity to Carroll County Electric at a price less than TVA.

The board approved the Trezevant Substation Addition Bid (Revision 2) from low bidder Power Grid Company, also known as the Silicon Ranch Trezevant Solar Project Construction Bid which is the source of increased cost mentioned above.

Scott Burleson of Allen & Hoshall, the project managers, discussed the project’s cost and design history. He reviewed the construction bid and the two redesigns completed to reduce the costs but maintain the intended reliability and flexibility.

The interconnection cost overrun was directly tied to the cost increases in the construction bids, as compared to cost estimates from one year earlier.

Solar Ranch is a Tennessee-based company with principals of former Governor Phil Bredesen and Matt Kisber, a Jackson native, who served as a commissioner in the Bredesen administration.