40.8

Risk Grade

Good

Orangeburg earns B grade as one of SC's most active solar development markets; five operating projects confirm an established, accessible CUP pathway; flat terrain and large county area (707K acres) ensure low saturation despite activity; stable trajectory and pro-development council make this a reliable B-grade market

Assessment Snapshot

Population

82931

State Rank

#13

Compliance

36%

Trajectory

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

Zoning Mechanism

CUP via Orangeburg County Planning Commission; County Council final approval for >10 MW; city-area projects coordinate with Orangeburg DPU

Acreage Caps

None established

Spacing Rules

Not specified

Size Restrictions

None formal

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Supportive

Basis for Assessment

Emerging SC solar hub; county council actively promotes solar as economic development tool; five operating/approved projects demonstrate strong track record; flat Coastal Plain farmland abundant in 707,200-acre county; Duke Energy Progress PPA pipeline well-established; SC State and Claflin University campus solar projects demonstrate institutional support

Political Risk Factors

Stable

Board Members

County Council Chair Janie Cooper-Smith | D | Term 2024–2028 Council Member Deloris Fanning | D | Term 2022–2026 Council Member Johnnie Wright | D | Term 2024–2028 Council Member Johnell Bradley | D | Term 2022–2026 Council Member Roy Yonce | R | Term 2024–2028

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

SERC-SE; Duke Energy Progress

Utilities

Duke Energy Progress, Orangeburg Department of Public Utilities (city); Four Holes Electric Cooperative (rural SE)

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

Orangeburg Solar (~50 MW, 2019, Duke Energy Progress PPA); North Solar (~40 MW, 2020); Bowman Solar (~55 MW, 2021); Elloree Solar (~35 MW, 2022); Santee Solar (~45 MW, 2023)

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None on record

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Orangeburg County County, SC — Solar Development Risk Assessment