Harrison County, MS — Solar Development Risk Assessment

No Moratorium

No county solar setbacks codified. Municipal building codes in Gulfport/Biloxi apply for rooftop and C&I solar. Coastal construction standards apply per MBAH rules.

City of Gulfport and City of Biloxi: commercial building permits and zoning applicable to solar; county Board of Supervisors governs limited unincorporated areas.

Favorable (most favorable in Mississippi). Tourism, casino, military (Keesler AFB), and port economy create diverse pro-solar coalition; post-Katrina resilience ethos strong; highest solar activity in the state.

Keesler AFB federal energy efficiency mandates; casino C&I solar economics; tourism/hospitality sector cost reduction interest; post-Katrina resilience; Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce pro-development stance.

Stable

No statewide solar siting law. Utility-scale solar regulated at county level by Board of Supervisors via discretionary zoning or conditional use permits. Counties retain full authority to approve, condition, or deny projects with no state preemption. MPSC oversees electric utilities; no formal solar siting review below 300 MW. FERC/MISO or SERC interconnection governs projects >20 MW.

No state RPS or SREC market. Solar equipment property tax exemption (Miss. Code Ann. §27-31-101). Net metering under MPSC Rule 29 (capped at 150% of 12-month avg usage; interconnection fee may apply). Federal ITC (30% under IRA 2022) is primary incentive. No state solar grant or loan programs.

Multiple C&I rooftop installations in Gulfport and Biloxi commercial districts. Keesler AFB (federal) has solar installations. Gulf Coast casino industry has explored C&I solar. Post-Katrina FEMA-funded resilience projects included solar components.

No confirmed denials on record.