SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / NM / Curry

Curry County, NM — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

41
Risk Grade
Good
Flat eastern NM plains county; Clovis seat; Xcel Energy territory; Cannon AFB (AFSOC) requires DoD airspace coordination for nearby projects but does not categorically block development; agricultural economy (dairy, cattle) receptive to lease revenue; standard CUP with minimal political friction; B-grade reflects permissive county, flat land, excellent solar resource, and low barriers offset slightly by military coordination requirement
Assessment Snapshot
Population
48954
State Rank
#15
Compliance
30%
Trajectory
28

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
150 ft from property lines; 300 ft from occupied structures; additional DoD coordination required within Cannon AFB airspace overlay
Zoning Mechanism
Conditional Use Permit (CUP) — Curry County Commission
Acreage Caps
None established
Spacing Rules
None established
Size Restrictions
None established

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Supportive — flat eastern NM plains with agricultural economy receptive to solar lease revenue; Curry County Commission pro-development and pro-military; Cannon AFB relationship positive for economic base; no organized opposition; dairy and cattle operations compatible with solar co-location
Basis for Assessment
Curry County Commission; Clovis Media Inc.; Xcel Energy NM; Cannon AFB; WECC queue
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
Curry County Commission (3 members) — currycounty.net

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
WECC / Xcel Energy (New Mexico Public Service)
Utilities
Xcel Energy (New Mexico Public Service)
State Permitting Process
County zoning authority; no state solar preemption; conditional use or special use permit (CUP/SUP) required for utility-scale solar (>1 MW); NM model solar ordinance framework available but adoption varies by county; decommissioning bond typically required; NM Solar Rights Act (1978, amended) protects residential solar access but does not preempt local large-project zoning
State Incentives
Federal ITC eligible; NM Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit (REPTC); NM Energy Transition Act (2019) zero-carbon mandate driving procurement; PNM and Xcel NM renewable procurement programs; NM Solar Market Development Tax Credit (residential); USDA REAP eligible for rural counties

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Clovis Solar Farm (25 MW, 2022, approved); Curry County ag solar (multiple distributed, ongoing)
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
None known

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Last verified: 2026-04-02 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes