SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / AR / Washington

Washington County, AR — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Local solar ordinance barriers, board sentiment, and utility policies that affect development timelines and risk.

50.6
Risk Grade
Fair
NW Arkansas Fayetteville/U of A metro county; fastest-growing AR metro area; OG&E/Carroll Electric grid; SPP; high land competition from tech and residential growth; four approved projects; high saturation in accessible areas; C-grade reflecting urban/suburban complexity
Assessment Snapshot
Population
246726
State Rank
#29
Compliance
52%
Trajectory
46

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
150 ft property line; 300 ft occupied structures (ANRC minimums)
Zoning Mechanism
Conditional Use Permit (CUP) - Quorum Court/Planning Commission
Acreage Caps
None established
Spacing Rules
None established
Size Restrictions
None established

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Mixed - NW Arkansas tech/university community; progressive but land-constrained; utility-scale sites limited
Basis for Assessment
Washington County Planning Commission; Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; University of Arkansas sustainability context
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
County Judge (R); 9-member Quorum Court - washingtoncountyar.gov

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SPP / OG&E & Carroll Electric Cooperative
Utilities
OG&E (Oklahoma Gas & Electric), Carroll Electric Cooperative
State Permitting Process
County zoning authority; Act 827 sets minimum ANRC standards; conditional use permit or special exception required; decommissioning bond required; setback minimums set by ANRC
State Incentives
Federal ITC eligible; no Arkansas state solar tax credit; Act 827 ANRC framework

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Fayetteville Solar I (15 MW, 2019); NW Arkansas Distributed I-III (5-10 MW each, 2020-2022); Washington County Solar (20 MW, 2023)
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
None known

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Last verified: 2026-04-02 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes