SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / SC / Kershaw County

Kershaw County County, SC — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

43.1
Risk Grade
Good
Kershaw sits at the B-C boundary (40.3) reflecting its Columbia exurban position: sufficient rural land remains viable but growing suburban pressure, moderate CUP conditions, and an increasing trajectory score push it just into C-grade; three approved projects confirm viable pathway; primary concern is the inexorable suburban sprawl along I-20/US 601 corridor
Assessment Snapshot
Population
65689
State Rank
#17
Compliance
43%
Trajectory
40

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
150 ft from residential structures; 75 ft from road ROW; 50 ft from property lines; visual screening required
Zoning Mechanism
CUP via Kershaw County Planning Commission; County Council final approval for >10 MW
Acreage Caps
None established
Spacing Rules
Not specified
Size Restrictions
None formal

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Mixed-Supportive
Basis for Assessment
Columbia exurb with moderate council; pro-development majority approves solar CUPs; some suburban NIMBYism emerging near Lugoff-Elgin growth corridor; Duke Energy Progress active PPA partner; agricultural land still available but shrinking near I-20
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
County Council Chair Julian Burns | R | Term 2024–2028 Council Member Rex Bobb | R | Term 2022–2026 Council Member Carolyn Grant | D | Term 2024–2028 Council Member Gene Wise | R | Term 2022–2026

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SERC-SE; Duke Energy Progress
Utilities
Duke Energy Progress, Central Electric Power Cooperative (rural eastern fringe)
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
Camden Solar (~35 MW, 2020, Duke Energy Progress PPA); Lugoff Solar (~45 MW, 2022); Elgin Solar (~30 MW, 2023)
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
None on record

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