SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / KS / McPherson

McPherson County, KS — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

87.6
Risk Grade
Fail
McPherson County enacted an indefinite ban on commercial-scale solar and wind in unincorporated areas in November 2024; county is now effectively closed to new utility-scale renewable development with no sunset provision.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
28542
State Rank
#18
Compliance
45%
Trajectory
50

Moratorium Status

⚠ Active Moratorium
Active — Indefinite Ban (Nov 2024)

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
None codified. No confirmed county-specific solar ordinance.
Zoning Mechanism
McPherson County Commissioners: CUP in Agricultural (A-1) district.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Cautious/neutral — rural Kansas county; no documented solar board votes or organized opposition on public record as of Mar 2026.
Basis for Assessment
Kansas counties retain full zoning authority over solar siting (no state preemption); R-majority rural board typical of Kansas plains counties; SPP grid territory; limited utility-scale solar development in region to date.
Political Risk Factors
Worsening
Board Members
Keith Becker | R | North Central District Commissioner | Board of County Commissioners | 3 members | 4-yr staggered terms | Partisan elections | All R

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SPP (Southwest Power Pool)
Utilities
Evergy Kansas Central
State Permitting Process
No statewide siting preemption for utility-scale solar. County-level conditional use permits (CUPs) required. Significant local opposition emerging: Sedgwick Co. moratorium 2023-2024; Butler Co. banned solar in Flint Hills 2023; Harvey Co. banned large utility solar. Some counties have quarter-mile or half-mile setback buffers (Kearney Co.; Gage Co.).
State Incentives
No Kansas RPS (Renewable Portfolio Standard). Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) approves utility-scale cost recovery. Kansas Sky Energy Center (Douglas County, 159 MW) approved by KCC July 7 2025 ($228M, Evergy). SPP (Southwest Power Pool) grid. No property tax exemption for solar. Evergy (formerly Westar + KCP&L) serves eastern KS; Sunflower Electric serves western KS.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
No confirmed utility-scale solar projects on public record as of Mar 2026.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No confirmed KCC or county zoning denials on record for McPherson County, Kansas.

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Last verified: April 2026 (web research) | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes