54.4

Risk Grade

Fair

Rugged mountainous terrain severely limits viable utility-scale sites; mining-dominant economy; limited APS transmission capacity in county; very small market with few developers active.

Assessment Snapshot

Population

9,498

State Rank

Compliance

44%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

Greenlee County ZO: standard Agricultural zone setbacks apply. Very limited flat, grid-accessible land for utility-scale projects.

Zoning Mechanism

CUP via Greenlee County Planning & Zoning in Agricultural zones. Very limited viable solar parcels due to mountainous terrain.

Acreage Caps

None codified; terrain is the primary constraint.

Density Caps

None codified.

Spacing Rules

None codified.

Size Restrictions

No formal restriction; limited suitable terrain for large installations.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Mining-economy county; solar not a significant political issue due to lack of viable large-scale sites; conservative board; Freeport-McMoRan is dominant employer and land user.

Basis for Assessment

Greenlee County supervisors are conservative; Morenci mine dominates local economy and land use; APS transmission infrastructure limited in rugged terrain; solar development not a significant local issue.

Political Risk Factors

Worsening

Board Members

Greenlee County Board of Supervisors: David Smith (District 1) | R | 2026; Rex Mattice (District 2) | R | 2026.

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

Arizona Public Service (APS) / Western Interconnection (WECC) — limited transmission capacity in county

Utilities

Arizona Public Service (APS) — Pinnacle West Capital, Duncan Valley Electric Cooperative — southwestern Greenlee County

State Permitting Process

Greenlee County CUP via Planning & Zoning and Board of Supervisors. Arizona One-Stop Shop. APS transmission study required for any utility-scale addition. FAA coordination.

State Incentives

No binding Arizona RPS. Federal ITC/PVTC. Arizona solar tax exemptions. Limited applicability in practice due to terrain constraints.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

Clifton commercial solar | <1 MW | Permitted

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

No major utility-scale project proposals or denials on record.

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Greenlee County, AZ — Solar Development Risk Assessment