TREZEVANT, Tenn. — The oldest daughter of fallen Carroll County Electric lineman Chance Carlton “flipped the switch” Thursday morning, at the dedication ceremony for the Trezevant Solar Farm.
Landry Jean and Ellsie Jo Carlton were joined by their mother, Samantha, to help commemorate the 6.5-megawatt facility built in partnership between Carroll County Electric Department and Silicon Ranch.
The dedication celebrated years of collaboration between Carroll County Electric, Silicon Ranch, and the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Landry Jean had the honors of flipping the honorary switch, signifying the facility’s power generation.
Tribute to Chance Carlton
Silicon Ranch’s Matt Brown and Carroll County Electric General Manager Ryan Drewry presented Samantha Carlton with a plaque honoring her husband’s memory.
“Today we flip the switch, but we more importantly honor the memory of Chance Carlton, who gave far more than his time and talent to this community,” Brown said.
General Manager Ryan Drewry read the plaque’s inscription: “In loving memory of Chance Carlton — a cherished husband, devoted father, and dedicated lineman. On April 3, 2025, Chance gave his life while serving others and helping restore power to his community. His legacy of service, courage, and dedication will continue to inspire all who knew him.”
Samantha spoke about her promise to the department’s linemen in the days following her husband’s death.
That promise led to the passage of the Chance Carlton Act, which classified Tennessee’s electrical linemen as first responders for the first time.
“The day after we lost Chance, I met with the guys, and I told them that I would take care of them, that there were things that weren’t there for them that should be,” she said. “I am nothing if not persistent.”
She spoke about working with State Representatives Brock Martin and Dennis Powers and testifying before multiple committees to push the legislation through, and she shared a message about faith.
“I would have no peace at all — his parents, his sister, brother, our daughters — if my husband didn’t know the Lord,” she said. “There’s no peace that you can provide your family in a time like this that is completely unexpected, like the peace of knowing the Lord.”
Carroll County Chamber of Commerce President Brad Hurley, who emceed the event, also took a moment to recognize Carroll County Electric’s linemen.
“What do you call someone who gets out in the middle of the night during an ice storm, responds to a car wreck that has struck a utility pole, or decides to work in 105-degree heat to restore power?” Hurley asked the crowd. “I call them electrical linemen.”
The Project
The Trezevant Solar Farm is a 6.5-megawatt AC facility with enough generation capacity to help power nearly 1,000 homes.
Silicon Ranch owns and operates the site under a 30-year power purchase agreement with Carroll County Electric, providing the department with locally generated electricity at a fixed rate.
Drewry explained that in 2019, his predecessor, then-manager Danny Brawner, and the board entered into a long-term partnership agreement with TVA. That agreement opened the door to TVA’s Generation Flexibility program, which allows local power companies to purchase or generate up to 5% of their power from local sources.
In 2022, the board signed a power purchase agreement with Silicon Ranch under TVA’s Flexibility 2.0 program.
The facility began delivering energy on July 1, 2025.
“Sometimes the power generated here is more than what is consumed on our system, and it flows back to TVA,” Drewry said. “I think we were the first to pioneer the excess option power purchase agreement with TVA.”
In 10 of the first 12 months of operation, the solar generation reduced or offset the department’s demand charges.
In June 2026, peak demand was reduced by 6.4 megawatts, nearly the full nameplate capacity of the site.
“That is a significant savings, along with the reduction of strain to the transmission and generation system,” Drewry said.
He said the cost savings enable the department to delay and offset future rate actions, and the dollars can be reinvested into capital projects and system maintenance rather than flowing back to TVA for purchased power.
Matt Kisber, Chairman of Silicon Ranch and a former Tennessee Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, emphasized the company’s long-term commitment to the community.
“Silicon Ranch owns and operates every project in our portfolio. We do not build a facility and then move on,” Kisber said. “We put down roots as a long-term landowner, taxpayer, operator, and neighbor, and that’s what we’re doing right here in Trezevant.”
Kisber noted that Silicon Ranch has made a significant capital investment in Carroll County that adds to the local tax base and will produce new revenue to support schools, infrastructure, and public services.
He also announced that Silicon Ranch will work with Farm 40 West to incorporate managed sheep grazing at the facility, combining renewable energy production with agricultural use.
Students Tour Facility
STEM students from Huntingdon Middle School, Huntingdon High School, Clarksburg School, McKenzie Special School District, and West Carroll Special School District attended the ceremony and toured the solar facility.
Hurley called the students “the champions of the future” and said the event provided educational opportunities to see firsthand how solar energy works.
Outgoing Chair
Carroll County Electric Board Chair Lori Nolen, who is rotating off the board after eight years of service, spoke on behalf of the department and its employees.
“I want to brag on these guys and women sitting here that work so hard,” Nolen said. “They think decades ahead, and we’re thankful for their commitment to you.”
She noted that she was proud to have been part of the board during the entire arc of the project, from the initial talks to its completion.
“When you think about progress in a community, that usually takes longer than this project has been,” Nolen said. “I feel really blessed that during our term here we have seen the initiation of this project, been involved in those talks, and then seen it now to completion.”
