SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / TN / Clay County

Clay County County, TN — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

44.3
Risk Grade
Good
Clay County scores B due to minimal ordinance, very low saturation, and stable trajectory. Rolling terrain limits the largest utility-scale projects but appropriately-sized installations in agricultural bottomlands are feasible. Very small county government means rapid policy change is possible in either direction.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
7,615
State Rank
#18
Compliance
35%
Trajectory
38

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
State minimums apply. No county-specific solar setbacks codified.
Zoning Mechanism
Clay County Planning Commission (minimal staff): CUP in Agricultural zoning; County Commission review per SB 2373 (2022).
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Very small, quiet rural Upper Cumberland county; no significant solar development history; small farming community; Cordell Hull Lake area introduces some recreational/scenic identity but limited organized environmental opposition
Basis for Assessment
Clay County is extremely small and rural; Cordell Hull Lake on the Obey River provides some recreational identity but the county lacks the organized preservation networks seen in East TN mountain counties; Upper Cumberland Electric serves the area; low income makes landowner lease interest potentially high relative to opposition
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
County Mayor Kenneth Boles | R | Aug 2026 County Commission (12 members); verify at claycountytn.gov

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority)
Utilities
Upper Cumberland 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.
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