44.6

Risk Grade

Good

Post-nuclear energy county with rural character and Dominion Energy SC territory; moderate compliance burden reflects CUP process and NRC coordination nuance; trajectory slightly elevated because V.C. Summer legacy creates both opportunities and occasional NRC-related uncertainty; B grade reflects overall favorable conditions

Assessment Snapshot

Population

22347

State Rank

#22

Compliance

32%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

150 ft from residential; 75 ft from road ROW; V.C. Summer exclusion zone per NRC

Zoning Mechanism

CUP via Fairfield County Council; NRC notification required for projects near V.C. Summer site

Acreage Caps

None established

Spacing Rules

Not specified

Size Restrictions

None formal

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Supportive

Basis for Assessment

Rural Columbia exurb with V.C. Summer nuclear legacy creating post-industrial energy culture; county council receptive to solar as economic development; Dominion Energy SC territory active in solar procurement; declining population increases tax base motivation

Political Risk Factors

Stable

Board Members

County Council Chair Neil Robinson | R | Term 2024–2028; Council Member Douglas Pauley | R | Term 2022–2026

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

SERC-SE; Dominion Energy South Carolina

Utilities

Dominion Energy South Carolina, Mid-Carolina 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

Winnsboro Solar (~30 MW, 2022); Monticello Solar (~25 MW, 2023, Dominion Energy SC)

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None on record

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Fairfield County County, SC — Solar Development Risk Assessment