SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / ND / Grand Forks

Grand Forks County, ND — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

47.8
Risk Grade
Fair
Second-largest city/county, UND presence, some regulatory clarity, moderate growth
Assessment Snapshot
Population
71780
State Rank
#9
Compliance
43%
Trajectory
46

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
300 ft utility-scale
Zoning Mechanism
CUP utility-scale; building permit residential

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Mixed
Basis for Assessment
University of North Dakota influence; Grand Forks metro growing
Political Risk Factors
Neutral
Board Members
Chair Barry Ramberg | R | 2026; Commissioner Ed Heit | R | 2026; Commissioner Tom Neva | R | 2026; Commissioner Dion Weston | R | 2026; Commissioner Bob Rost | R | 2026

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
MISO / Otter Tail Power
Utilities
Otter Tail Power
State Permitting Process
County zoning
State Incentives
Property tax exemption; Federal ITC

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
4
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
0

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Last verified: April 2026 (web research) | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes