SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / CA / Plumas

Plumas County, CA — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

43
Risk Grade
Good
Mountainous Sierra Nevada terrain severely limits viable utility-scale solar sites across nearly all of county; limited flat land confined to river valleys; remote grid access adds significant interconnection cost; very low developer interest reflects terrain constraints; Feather River watershed adds environmental sensitivity; declining population limits local market incentive
Assessment Snapshot
Population
18900
State Rank
#10
Compliance
55%
Trajectory
48

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
Not specified; case-by-case basis
Zoning Mechanism
CUP via Board of Supervisors; CEQA standard review
Spacing Rules
Not specified
Size Restrictions
No applicable utility-scale restrictions needed given terrain; limited viable sites

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Neutral; low community awareness of utility-scale solar; no organized opposition or support
Basis for Assessment
Plumas County General Plan; limited public hearing records given low developer interest
Political Risk Factors
Neutral; low developer interest; remote community with limited awareness of utility-scale solar
Board Members
Kevin Goss | R | 2026; Sherri Thrall | R | 2028; Jeff Engel | R | 2026; Greg Anderson | R | 2028; Lori Simpson | R | 2026

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
CAISO — PG&E Balancing Authority
Utilities
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
State Permitting Process
County zoning + CEQA review required; CEC siting jurisdiction for projects >50 MW on state/federal land; Coastal Commission review for coastal zone; DRECP DFAs streamline desert county permitting
State Incentives
Federal ITC eligible; California Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) for storage; CA Renewables Portfolio Standard procurement; CPUC approved procurement programs

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
1
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
0

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