SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / CO / Otero

Otero County, CO — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

32.8
Risk Grade
Excellent
SE Colorado flat plains with excellent solar resource; Black Hills Energy territory provides access; low density; county sees solar as economic opportunity in declining rural economy
Assessment Snapshot
Population
18278
State Rank
#15
Compliance
38%
Trajectory
35

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
None codified
Zoning Mechanism
Administrative Permit / County Review
Acreage Caps
No cap
Density Caps
No
Size Restrictions
No size restrictions under 50 MW

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Supportive — economically distressed rural county welcomes solar investment
Basis for Assessment
Otero County Economic Development; La Junta Tribune-Democrat
Political Risk Factors
Improving
Board Members
Rob Gebhardt (R, 2026) | Kevin McCracken (R, 2027) | Michael Aten (R, 2026)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
Black Hills Energy / SPP
Utilities
Black Hills Energy, Southeastern Colorado Power Association
State Permitting Process
County zoning; HB 23-1232 CEO review >50 MW; decommissioning bond required
State Incentives
Federal ITC; Colorado Clean Energy Fund; Xcel RE procurement programs

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
La Junta Solar (~10 MW, 2022); Fowler Area Solar (~5 MW, 2023)
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
None on record

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Last verified: April 2026 (web research) | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes