SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / TN / Benton County

Benton County County, TN — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

43.7
Risk Grade
Good
Benton County scores B due to minimal formal ordinance, low solar saturation, and stable regulatory trajectory. Lake-area sentiment introduces modest uncertainty but interior farmland is viable for utility-scale. Declining population removes suburban land-use pressure.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
16,160
State Rank
#17
Compliance
35%
Trajectory
38

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
State minimums apply: ≥150 ft from non-participating property lines. No county-specific solar setbacks codified.
Zoning Mechanism
Benton County Planning Commission: CUP or Special Exception in Agricultural zoning; County Commission review per SB 2373 (2022) for large projects.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Rural west Tennessee; low population density; Kentucky Lake recreational community has some concern about industrial land use near water; farming community generally open to lease income
Basis for Assessment
Benton County sits along Kentucky Lake and the Tennessee River; recreation and tourism identity creates some sentiment favoring scenic land preservation near water, but interior agricultural areas face limited organized opposition to solar development; declining population and limited economic alternatives reduce opposition intensity
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
County Mayor Jason Bullock | R | Aug 2026 County Commission (14 members); verify at bentoncountytn.gov

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority)
Utilities
West Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation (TVA distributor), Tennessee Valley Authority (wholesale)
State Permitting Process
County zoning authority under SB 2373 (2022); no state solar preemption; conditional use permit or special exception typically required; decommissioning bond often required; setback standards increasingly codified
State Incentives
Federal ITC eligible; no Tennessee state solar tax credit; TVA Green Power Switch program available

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
No confirmed utility-scale solar approvals on record as of 2026.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No confirmed denials.

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