Metro Council OK's solar farm deal

Moore County will soon have a 200-megawatt solar farm. On Monday night, the 12 attending Metro Council members unanimously approved the agreement with Nashville-based Silicon Ranch.

Three council members were absent: Gerald Burnett, Douglas Carson, and Bradley Dye.

After announcing the deal in 2021, the sides had wrangled for months over permit fees. Silicon Ranch balked at the projected $25 million fees as the sides negotiated a resolution:

• $4,500 permit fee for the substation
• $95,500 permit fee for the solar panels
• $650,000 Community Benefit Fee

On Nov. 5, during a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, Chairman Dexter Golden said the issue had been resolved, and the project would proceed.

In April 2021, TVA announced that it had signed a long-term power purchase agreement with Silicon Ranch, one of the largest independent power producers in the country.

A year later, TVA asked for feedback on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and held a virtual open house in May 2022.

Silicon Ranch also hosted a Q&A session at Moore County High School in September 2023. A spokesman noted that the project will add $500,000 to the local tax base.

Silicon Ranch will build, own, and operate the solar facility and be responsible for property taxes during the project’s life. It purchased 3,400 acres from Cumberland Springs Land Company, the fourth generation of Motlows to manage 6,000 acres of family land. Less than 1,500 acres will be used for solar panels.

Jack Daniel Distillery will consume 30 MW – about three-quarters of the distillery’s electricity needs – of the farm’s energy by design as part of TVA’s Green Invest program.

The Moore County footprint will be a mid-sized solar farm. Silicon Ranch uses cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic solar panels, which are not hazardous. The company notes that the panels do not negatively impact soil or water or endanger human or animal health. A six-foot-tall chain-link fence with barbed wire will surround the facility as a safety feature.

The recent failure during load testing on the 3 Rivers construction site raised safety concerns for the solar farm. Silicon Ranch contends it is committed to zero recordable safety incidents. The company also claims to adhere to all local, state, and federal regulations, including fencing, electric codes, and signage.