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Jones County, MS — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

46.4
Risk Grade
Good
Larger population and Laurel economic development activity moderate risk; oil/gas cultural resistance and no solar ordinance remain the primary barriers.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
67,761
State Rank
#13
Compliance
52%
Trajectory
52

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
No county solar setbacks. Laurel city building code applies within city limits.
Zoning Mechanism
City of Laurel: commercial permits and zoning; county Board of Supervisors governs unincorporated areas.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Mixed. Laurel economic development activity (anchored by "Home Town" HGTV fame); oil/gas history but above-average income for rural MS; "Free State of Jones" independent political culture may create openness to economic development options.
Basis for Assessment
Laurel economic development activity; oil/gas history; above-average MHI for rural MS; Mississippi Power/Entergy overlap; independent political culture.
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
5-member Board of Supervisors; Republican majority; terms expire 2027.

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SERC / Mississippi Power (Southern Company) transmission zone
Utilities
Mississippi Power (Southern Company), Entergy Mississippi (western portions)
State Permitting Process
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.
State Incentives
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.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
No confirmed utility-scale solar projects on record.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No confirmed denials on record.

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Last verified: 2026-04-03 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes