SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / IA / Louisa

Louisa County, IA — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

38.2
Risk Grade
Good
SE Iowa agricultural; Wapello area; active solar; local CUP
Assessment Snapshot
Population
11,035
State Rank
#4
Compliance
52%
Trajectory
50

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
None codified. No confirmed county-specific solar ordinance.
Zoning Mechanism
Louisa County Planning & Zoning: CUP/SUP in Agricultural district.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Generally receptive — agricultural community
Basis for Assessment
SE Iowa agricultural; Wapello area; active solar; local CUP
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
Shawn Maine | Chair | Kevin Hardin | Supervisor | Board of Supervisors | 3 members | Wapello, Iowa | 4-yr staggered terms | Partisan elections

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
MISO / Alliant Energy (ALTW) zone
Utilities
Alliant Energy (ALTW), Eastern Iowa Light & Power
State Permitting Process
Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) generating certificate required for projects ≥25 MW (Iowa Code §478). Projects <25 MW: local CUP/SUP under county/township zoning governs. No statewide preemption of local ordinances — Iowa is a strong local-control state. County boards have full authority to restrict or deny solar below 25 MW threshold. Active local opposition movement in many agricultural counties; several moratoriums and restrictive ordinances enacted 2021–2024. IUB certificate does not override local zoning for sub-25 MW projects. MISO interconnection territory statewide.
State Incentives
Iowa Renewable Energy Standard: minimal (105 MW aggregate mandate met since late 1990s). Net metering: IUC-regulated utilities (MidAmerican Energy, Alliant IPL) offer net metering under Iowa Code §476A; programs vary by cooperative. Property tax exemption: 5-year exemption for solar equipment added via IA Code §427B.26. MidAmerican Energy planning 800 MW new solar at ~6 IA sites by 2028 (filed IUC Feb 17 2025). Utility: MidAmerican Energy serves Des Moines metro, western/central IA; Alliant Energy/IPL serves eastern/southern IA; rural areas served by 60+ electric cooperatives.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Wapello Solar | 100 MW | 800 acres | Alliant Energy/MidAmerican | 2021 operational; Orion Renewables project | 1,100 MW | 3,300 acres | $2.1B | permit approved ~2025
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No confirmed county conditional use permit denial on record for Louisa County as of Mar 2026. Iowa Wind and Solar Energy Generation Act governs. Contact Louisa County Planning.

Explore the Full Tracker

View risk assessments for all 3,100+ US counties, compare states, and download detailed ordinance data for your solar development pipeline.

Launch SolarRisk Tracker

Last verified: 2026-04-01 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes