40.1

Risk Grade

Good

McCormick earns B grade as SC's smallest and least-populated county — regulatory barriers are low, the council is receptive, and the economic case for solar lease income is compelling; moderate setback requirements near lake buffers are the only notable constraint; one operating project confirms viability

Assessment Snapshot

Population

9463

State Rank

#10

Compliance

34%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

150 ft from residential structures; 100 ft from lake or stream buffers; 50 ft from road ROW; 50 ft from property lines

Zoning Mechanism

CUP via McCormick County Planning Board; County Council approval for >5 MW

Acreage Caps

None established

Spacing Rules

Not specified

Size Restrictions

None formal

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Supportive

Basis for Assessment

Smallest SC county by population; economic development imperative outweighs aesthetic concerns for most agricultural parcels; lake community aesthetic sensitivity only for lakefront-visible sites; county council receptive to solar as property tax generator; Laurens and Aiken electric cooperatives both open to PPA arrangements

Political Risk Factors

Stable

Board Members

County Council Chair Thomas Baker | R | Term 2024–2028 Council Member Charles Davidson | D | Term 2022–2026 Council Member Benjamin Edmonds | R | Term 2024–2028

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

SERC-SE; Duke Energy Carolinas

Utilities

Laurens Electric Cooperative, Aiken Electric Cooperative (southern portions)

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

McCormick Solar (~18 MW, 2022, Aiken Electric Cooperative PPA)

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None on record

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McCormick County County, SC — Solar Development Risk Assessment