The Tennessee Valley Authority and the Department of the Navy broke ground Friday on a project in western Tennessee that will eventually be the state’s largest solar facility.
The ceremony was held in conjunction with Earth Day. Construction won't begin in earnest until sometime next year at the Shelby County site, north of Memphis, which will cover 400 acres with 580,000 solar panels.
The Millington, Tenn. location is owned by the Navy and is part of its Naval Support Activity Mid-South installation. The TVA awarded Nashville-based Silicon Ranch Corporation a long-term power purchase contract at the site.
The facility will be capable of powering 7,500 homes. It’s expected to be ready for operations in 2018.
