33.8

Risk Grade

Excellent

Saluda earns B grade as a rural midlands county with genuinely low regulatory barriers; low compliance (CUP is straightforward), low saturation, stable trajectory, and proximity to Columbia grid infrastructure create a reliable development environment; primary constraint is small county footprint (289K acres) relative to demand

Assessment Snapshot

Population

20473

State Rank

Compliance

33%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

150 ft from residential structures; 50 ft from road ROW; 50 ft from property lines

Zoning Mechanism

CUP via Saluda 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

Very rural SC midlands county with pro-solar council; agricultural heritage (peach orchards) normalizes large-parcel land use for non-residential purposes; proximity to Columbia grid is a structural advantage; Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative experienced with solar interconnection; two operating projects confirm viability

Political Risk Factors

Stable

Board Members

County Council Chair Terry Reeder | R | Term 2024–2028 Council Member Thomas Connelly | R | Term 2022–2026 Council Member Phillip Carter | R | Term 2024–2028

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

SERC-SE; Duke Energy Progress

Utilities

Duke Energy Progress, 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

Ridge Spring Solar (~30 MW, 2021, Duke Energy Progress PPA); Saluda Solar Farm (~25 MW, 2023)

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None on record

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Saluda County County, SC — Solar Development Risk Assessment