SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / FL / Pasco

Pasco County, FL — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

32.8
Risk Grade
Excellent
Fast-growing Tampa metro exurb; Duke Energy FL territory; no solar ordinance or moratorium; improving trajectory driven by Duke IRP procurement; large agricultural land base in eastern Pasco; primary constraint is rapid suburbanization reducing available agricultural parcels; USDA REAP rural eligible for eastern areas
Assessment Snapshot
Population
553947
State Rank
#6
Compliance
35%
Trajectory
20

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
Agricultural zone setbacks apply; no solar-specific setback standards; CUP conditions may include visual buffering near rapidly developing residential areas in western Pasco
Zoning Mechanism
CUP required in agricultural/rural zones; county commission review; no dedicated solar application process; fast-growing development context may increase CUP hearing scrutiny near new residential areas
Acreage Caps
None established
Density Caps
None established
Spacing Rules
None established
Size Restrictions
No county cap; FPSA applies for facilities >75 MW (FL DEP siting jurisdiction)

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Neutral–Supportive
Basis for Assessment
Pasco County commissioners are focused on managing rapid growth; no organized solar opposition; Duke Energy FL IRP procurement has brought solar interest to eastern agricultural areas; western Pasco suburban development may create visual impact concerns near new residential subdivisions but commissioners have not adopted restrictive policy
Political Risk Factors
Improving
Board Members
Commissioner Ron Oakley (D1), Commissioner Seth Weightman (D2/VC), Commissioner Kathryn Starkey (D3), Commissioner Lisa Yeager (D4), Commissioner Jack Mariano (D5/Chair)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SERC / Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC) | Duke Energy Florida transmission zone
Utilities
Duke Energy Florida (primary — most of Pasco County), Tampa Electric Company (TECO / Emera — southern Pasco County portions)
State Permitting Process
Florida Power Siting Act (FPSA) — Florida DEP has siting jurisdiction for facilities >75 MW. Below 75 MW, county land use authority governs via CUP/SUP process. Florida Statute §163.3205 (2024) limits county restrictions on solar in agricultural zones — cannot prohibit as a matter of law. No state-level preemption below 75 MW threshold. FPL (NextEra Energy) dominates utility-scale procurement in southern and eastern FL; Duke Energy Florida serves central west coast; Tampa Electric (TECO) serves Hillsborough/Polk corridor; Florida Power & Light interconnects through FPL transmission. County commission approves CUPs for projects <75 MW in unincorporated areas.
State Incentives
Florida has no state RPS (Renewable Portfolio Standard) — only a voluntary goal (100% clean energy by 2050). Key incentives: Federal ITC (30% base + energy community/domestic content adders). Florida Statute §163.3205 (2024) limits local government ability to restrict solar on agricultural land — counties cannot ban solar outright on ag-zoned land. Net metering available. Property tax exemption for residential solar (FL Const. Art. VII §3). No state income tax. USDA REAP for rural projects. FPL, Duke Energy Florida, and Tampa Electric IRP programs include significant utility-scale solar procurement.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Duke Energy FL has procured solar in Pasco County; limited confirmed operational utility-scale projects; eastern Pasco agricultural areas are under evaluation; [TBV FL DEP FPSA registry and Duke Energy FL IRP for Pasco County projects]
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