Alleghany County, NC — Solar Development Risk Assessment

No Moratorium

Alleghany County: 2,000 ft from dwelling units and protected uses -- largest residential setback requirement confirmed in North Carolina. Solar development practically very limited given mountainous terrain + 2,000 ft setback.

Alleghany County Board of Adjustment/Board of Commissioners: Special Use Permit (SUP) or Conditional Use Permit (CUP).

Conservative/cautious — mountain identity; very limited solar land; scenic Blue Ridge

NW NC mountains; Sparta area; Blue Ridge mountains; forested; very limited solar land; mountain identity

Stable

Full local control — no statewide preemption for siting and permitting of utility-scale solar. County Board of Commissioners issues Special Use Permit (SUP) or Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for utility-scale solar under county Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). All sizes subject to local zoning; no threshold for state takeover. NCUC Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) required for utility-owned generation; IPP developers selling to Duke/Dominion under PURPA or competitive procurement typically handle NCUC process through utility. NC DEQ: decommissioning plan registration required for ≥2 MW (SL 2023-58, eff. Nov 1 2025); DEQ rules (15A NCAC 01V) effective April 1, 2025. NC land use law (2021) modernized ordinance language and clarified solar provisions. N.C.G.S. §160D-107: counties may adopt temporary moratoria on solar permits (limited duration, must be reasonable). Davidson County: 24-month moratorium enacted Dec 17, 2024 (expires Dec 2026) while developing new solar ordinance. Halifax County: temporary moratorium Oct 2024 — expired Feb 2025; new ordinance provisions pending. Farmland preservation concerns are the dominant local issue — NC has lost significant prime farmland to solar. Grid: SERC throughout NC. Duke Energy Progress (eastern/central), Duke Energy Carolinas (western/piedmont/mountains), Dominion Energy NC (northeastern corner). NC EMCs serve rural areas as distribution cooperatives.

NC REPS (Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard): 12.5% by 2021 (met); Duke Energy Carolina/Progress subject to ongoing carbon plan compliance (100% clean by 2050). Duke Energy CPRE (Competitive Procurement of Renewable Energy) program: ongoing solicitations. NC CPCN process for utility-owned facilities via NCUC. Community solar/Green Source Advantage: Duke Energy program for large commercial customers. Net metering under Duke Energy 'Smart Saver' program (NCUC approved 3-year glide path 2025). Property tax PILOT: county-negotiated agreements common. Utility: Duke Energy Progress (eastern/central NC); Duke Energy Carolinas (western/Piedmont NC); NCEMC and local EMCs serve rural areas.

No utility-scale solar in Alleghany County as of 2022 — western mountain terrain precludes large-scale ground-mount development (EnergyNC Sept 2022 NC property tax report excluded Alleghany from 77-county list). Duke Energy Carolinas serves the county.

No confirmed project denials. However, 2,000-ft dwelling setback makes utility-scale solar extremely difficult to site in mountainous Alleghany County. Terrain further limits viability. NC Clean Energy Technology Center 2025 survey identifies this as most restrictive NC county setback. Source: NCCTEC survey Sep 30 2025