54.9

Risk Grade

Fair

Georgia's smallest county by population with flat agricultural land in SW Georgia solar corridor; highest uncertainty score in batch due to near-zero public record; informal permitting process could enable or complicate large projects equally

Assessment Snapshot

Population

2834

State Rank

#59

Compliance

38%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

No solar-specific setbacks; standard rural setbacks apply

Zoning Mechanism

CUP from Clay County Commission; informal process

Acreage Caps

No formal cap

Spacing Rules

Not specified

Size Restrictions

None formal

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Receptive; one of Georgia's most economically distressed counties; any economic development welcomed

Basis for Assessment

Extremely limited public record; Albany Herald regional coverage

Political Risk Factors

Stable; extremely small declining population; no organized groups of any kind; economic development any form welcomed

Board Members

Clay County Commission: 5-member commission; see clay.georgia.gov for current members

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

SERC / Georgia Power (Southern Company)

Utilities

Georgia Power, Flint EMC

State Permitting Process

County zoning authority; no state solar preemption; conditional use permit typically required for utility-scale (>1 MW)

State Incentives

Federal ITC eligible; no Georgia state solar tax credit; Georgia Power IRP solar procurement program

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

No confirmed utility-scale projects as of 2026

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None confirmed

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Clay County, GA — Solar Development Risk Assessment