Windham County, CT — Solar Development Risk Assessment

No Moratorium

None codified at county level. CSC sets conditions for >1 MW; municipal zoning governs ≤1 MW.

Municipal ZBA/PZC: Special Exception or variance for ≤1 MW. CSC certification for >1 MW (bypasses local zoning).

Generally receptive — agricultural community; CT Siting Council pathway

NE CT; Willimantic (UConn Avery Point/Eastern CT State); agricultural; CT Siting Council >1 MW; active solar; rural character

Stable

Connecticut Siting Council (CSC, CGS §16-50i et seq.) has jurisdiction for all electric generation facilities >1 MW. CSC can affirm or revoke municipal zoning orders — effectively can preempt local zoning. CSC must give consideration to municipal regulations but is not bound by them. Projects ≤1 MW: local zoning commission governs. Projects on agricultural land >2 MW: DEEP NDDB review + CT Dept of Agriculture letter required. Agricultural land with prime farmland soils: applicant must demonstrate project will not materially affect prime farmland status; DoAg must certify to CSC. DEEP Construction Stormwater General Permit required for all solar construction. ISO-NE interconnection required statewide.

CT Clean Energy Standard (CES): 40% clean electricity by 2030; 100% by 2040. CT Green Bank: zero-interest financing and rebates for commercial/residential solar (greenbank.com). Shared Clean Energy Facility (SCEF): community solar program for subscribers. Virtual Net Metering: multi-site credit for CL&P/PURA-regulated customers. DEEP competitive solicitations: 518 MW selected Dec 2024; 67 MW CT allocation from 4-state RFP 2025. Utility: Eversource (CL&P) serves most of CT; United Illuminating (UI) serves New Haven/Bridgeport area.

Solar development in Windham County — rural northeastern CT; agricultural land available; CT-MA border area. Eversource (CL&P) serves Windham County. CSC Docket 541 active: The Towers LLC in Windham (telecom, not solar — confirms CSC jurisdiction in Windham Co.). Windham County in CT DEEP STEPS active siting area for future solar; CT DEEP 67 MW 4-state RFP 2025 pipeline may include Windham Co. projects.

No confirmed Connecticut Siting Council (CSC) denial on record for Windham County. CSC governs all solar >1 MW; preempts local zoning for >1 MW. NOTE: CT Public Act 17-218 (2017) effectively bans utility-scale solar on 'forest land or prime farmland' statewide — this is primary barrier, not project-by-project denial. Sub-1 MW: municipal zoning; no central denial record. Source: CT CSC; CT PA 17-218 (2017)