SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / TN / Campbell County

Campbell County County, TN — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

62
Risk Grade
Poor
Campbell County receives a D grade due to the combination of mountainous terrain eliminating most viable utility-scale land, coal-heritage cultural resistance to solar land-use transition, worsening political trajectory as anti-solar organizing spreads through East TN Appalachian counties, and limited planning capacity creating high process uncertainty.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
39,842
State Rank
#46
Compliance
62%
Trajectory
65

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
No county-specific solar setbacks codified. State minimums apply. Terrain effectively enforces substantial natural buffers.
Zoning Mechanism
Campbell County Planning Commission (limited capacity): CUP in Agricultural/Rural zoning; County Commission approval per SB 2373 (2022). Limited planning staff capacity creates process uncertainty.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Resistant — coal-heritage Appalachian community with limited flat land; cultural resistance to solar as a replacement for extractive economy identity; some landowner interest in lease income but county leadership generally not proactive on solar
Basis for Assessment
Campbell County was historically dependent on coal mining; LaFollette area has seen significant economic decline with coal industry contraction; while some landowners would welcome lease income, county political leadership has not promoted solar, and terrain severely limits viable sites; Norris Lake area has tourism identity that creates additional resistance near water
Political Risk Factors
Worsening
Board Members
County Mayor E.L. Morton | R | Aug 2026 County Commission (14 members); verify at campbellcountytn.org

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority)
Utilities
Appalachian Electric Cooperative (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 in Campbell County.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
Informal blocking of developer pre-application inquiries reported; coal heritage community sentiment effectively discourages solar land-use applications in the county seat area.

Explore the Full Tracker

View risk assessments for all 3,100+ US counties, compare states, and download detailed ordinance data for your solar development pipeline.

Launch SolarRisk Tracker

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