SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / MS / Oktibbeha

Oktibbeha County, MS — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

45.5
Risk Grade
Good
University town with active campus solar and research programs creates the most favorable academic/institutional solar environment in rural MS; growing Starkville economy moderates risk; Entergy MS resistance and no solar ordinance remain limiting.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
49,644
State Rank
#9
Compliance
45%
Trajectory
42

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
No county solar setbacks. Starkville city building code applies within city limits.
Zoning Mechanism
City of Starkville: commercial permits and zoning; county Board 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
Favorable for MS. Mississippi State University drives sustainability awareness; Starkville is a growing college town; MSU research programs create institutional solar credibility; pro-business supervisors.
Basis for Assessment
MSU sustainability programs and campus solar; growing college town demographics; research credibility; above-average income for rural MS; Entergy MS DG resistance is the key constraint.
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
5-member Board of Supervisors; Republican majority; terms expire 2027.

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
MISO South / Entergy Mississippi transmission zone
Utilities
Entergy Mississippi
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
Mississippi State University campus solar installations (demonstration and some utility-scale). Several C&I rooftop installations in Starkville commercial district. MSU research programs in solar and agrivoltaics.
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