Risk Grade

Good

Largest county by oil & gas production but also top solar/wind county; Xcel PSCO territory; flat northern Front Range plains; permissive zoning; very high saturation risk building but board remains pro-development; B grade reflects saturation concern

Assessment Snapshot

Population

324492

State Rank

#33

Compliance

38%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

150 ft from non-participating residences; 50 ft from property line

Zoning Mechanism

Administrative Permit (most solar); Board review for >50 MW

Acreage Caps

No formal cap

Density Caps

Spacing Rules

None specified

Size Restrictions

<50 MW administrative; >50 MW CEO review (HB 23-1232)

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Broadly Supportive — largest oil & gas county also leading solar/wind county; commissioners pro-development across energy types

Basis for Assessment

Weld County BOCC minutes; Greeley Tribune coverage; Xcel Energy procurement announcements

Political Risk Factors

Neutral

Board Members

Scott James (R, 2026) | Perry Buck (R, 2027) | Dan Mackintosh (R, 2026) | Mike Freeman (R, 2026) | Lori Saine (R, 2027)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

Xcel Energy (PSCO) / WECC

Utilities

Xcel Energy (PSCO), United Power

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

Weld County has the largest solar and wind pipeline in Colorado; includes Bighorn Solar (300 MW, 2023), Poudre River Solar (150 MW, 2022), Latham Wind-Solar (200 MW, 2024), and 5 smaller projects

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None on record; county posture permissive

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Weld County, CO — Solar Development Risk Assessment