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Silicon Ranch and Metro Moore County have reached an agreement on permit fees, allowing the project to move forward with the construction of the large solar farm. Following the announcement at November’s Metro Council meeting, Matt Beasley, Chief Commercial Officer with Silicon Ranch, provided The News with an official statement.

Following a lengthy process of listening, learning, and responding, Silicon Ranch and Moore County have entered into an Energy Sitting Agreement for Silicon Ranch’s Moore County Solar Farm. This final step enables the Tennessee-based company to move forward with its plans to construct the energy infrastructure project – which represents a capital investment of more than $250 million – on land it purchased in Moore County in 2022.

In its press release on the matter, Silicon Ranch said Members of the Metro Council worked collaboratively with Silicon Ranch to identify areas where the company could contribute as Moore County’s newest corporate citizen. Through this cooperative effort, Silicon Ranch has committed to support the city’s initiatives with a $650,000 investment focused toward education in Lynchburg and Moore County with a specific emphasis on supporting future increases in teacher salaries.

“This agreement reflects how we at Silicon Ranch do business, not only supporting energy infrastructure and promoting economic development, but also collaborating with local leaders to support and help strengthen the communities where we invest,” said Silicon Ranch co-founder and CEO Reagan Farr. “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of Mayor Stweart, Chairman Golden, and other leaders in Lynchburg and Moore County, Silicon Ranch is honored to support educational initiatives and promote a brighter future for Moore County’s next generation. As the son of educators myself, I am personally grateful for the opportunity to be part of this compelling partnership.”

In addition to funding this contribution upfront as part of the agreement, Silicon Ranch is projected to pay more than $10 million in new tax revenues over the life of the project to support local infrastructure, government services, and the local school district. Once the agreement is executed, Silicon Ranch anticipates commencing construction of the substation early in the new year, with construction of the solar facility expected to begin in the Fall of 2025. As the company and its contractor prepare to mobilize for construction of the solar facility, they will post details and host job fairs to recruit subcontractors and more than 300 craft workers from the surrounding area.