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Beltrami County, MN — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

40.7
Risk Grade
Good
Large north-central MN county; rural/forested; limited solar history; PUC pathway for large projects
Assessment Snapshot
Population
47,188
State Rank
#24
Compliance
50%
Trajectory
48

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
None codified. No confirmed county-specific setbacks.
Zoning Mechanism
Beltrami County Board: CUP in Agricultural district (IUP or conditional use) for projects <50 MW.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Rural — limited engagement; forestry identity
Basis for Assessment
Large north-central MN county; rural/forested; limited solar history; PUC pathway for large projects
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
County Board of Commissioners | 5 members | 4-yr staggered terms | partisan elections | R/GOP-majority county (greater MN rural). Commissioners serve 4-yr staggered terms. Confirm names at county official website or mnco.org

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
MISO / NSP West (NSPW / Xcel) zone
Utilities
Beltrami Electric Coop, Beltrami Electric Coop
State Permitting Process
Minnesota Energy Infrastructure Permitting Act (MEIPA), effective July 1, 2025: consolidates permitting into Standard Review (solar, wind, storage, <80 MW non-renewable) and Major Review (large non-renewable, HVTLs >300 kV >30 mi). MPUC has siting authority for solar ≥50 MW (site permit required). Projects <50 MW: county/township CUP governs. Counties may assume permitting of wind 5–25 MW by resolution. Pre-2025 projects: governed by Minn. Stat. Ch. 216E site permit process. No state preemption of local ordinances for sub-threshold projects — pure local control. MISO territory statewide.
State Incentives
Minnesota Renewable Energy Standard (RES): 80% carbon-free by 2030; 100% by 2040 (enacted 2023, Minnesota Next Generation Energy Act). Community Solar Gardens: Xcel Energy Solar*Rewards Community (legacy, uncapped) and new LMI-Accessible CSG Program (179 MW approved by Dec 2025; 620 MW cap by 2030; pv-magazine Mar 19 2026). Minnesota MEIPA (Minnesota Energy Infrastructure Permitting Act, eff. July 1 2025): new state permit required for solar ≥50 MW. PACE financing available statewide. Utility: Xcel Energy (NSP) serves 7-county Twin Cities metro; Great Plains Energy serves southern MN; Minnesota Power (ALLETE) serves northern MN/Arrowhead; Otter Tail Power serves western MN; more than 100 electric cooperatives serve rural areas.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
No named utility-scale project (≥50 MW) confirmed in Beltrami County MEIPA/MPUC dockets as of Mar 2026.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No confirmed MPUC denials for Beltrami County. MEIPA state permit (Jul 2025) governs ≥50 MW; local zoning for smaller projects.

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Last verified: 2026-03-24 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes