44.3

Risk Grade

Good

Rural upstate-midlands county with modest compliance burden; standard CUP process is accommodating; slightly elevated compliance and trajectory scores reflect conservative political culture and Thurmond Lake aesthetic considerations; but no denial history and tax base motivation supports continued approvals

Assessment Snapshot

Population

26985

State Rank

#21

Compliance

35%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

150 ft from residential; 75 ft from road ROW; informal lake buffer per county custom

Zoning Mechanism

CUP via Edgefield County Planning; County Council approval

Acreage Caps

None established

Spacing Rules

Not specified

Size Restrictions

None formal

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Supportive

Basis for Assessment

Rural conservative SC county with lake recreation economy; county council pro-economic development; Duke Energy Progress territory; flat-to-rolling terrain has suitable parcels; no active opposition groups

Political Risk Factors

Stable

Board Members

County Council Chair Dean Campbell | R | Term 2024–2028; Council Member Preston Todd | R | Term 2022–2026

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

SERC-SE; Duke Energy Progress

Utilities

Duke Energy Progress, Edgefield County Electric Cooperative

State Permitting Process

County zoning authority; no state solar preemption; special exception or conditional use permit typically required for utility-scale (>1 MW); decommissioning bond increasingly required

State Incentives

Federal ITC eligible; SC state income tax credit for solar (25% up to $35,000 for commercial); SC Energy Freedom Act net metering provisions

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

Edgefield Solar I (~25 MW, 2021); Johnston Solar (~20 MW, 2023)

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None on record

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Edgefield County County, SC — Solar Development Risk Assessment