SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / TN / DeKalb County

DeKalb 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
DeKalb County scores B due to minimal ordinance, low saturation, and stable trajectory. Rolling terrain near Center Hill Lake limits some sites, but western agricultural land is viable. Lake-adjacent uncertainty adds modest risk for poorly-sited proposals.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
21,152
State Rank
#18
Compliance
38%
Trajectory
40

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
State minimums apply. No county-specific solar setbacks adopted.
Zoning Mechanism
DeKalb County Planning Commission: 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
Moderate — small rural Middle Tennessee county; Center Hill Lake area has some scenic/recreation identity creating modest concern about industrial land use near the lake; agricultural areas in western county are more open to solar development
Basis for Assessment
DeKalb County has a split identity: lake-recreation in eastern portions and traditional agriculture in western portions; Middle Tennessee Electric serves the county; no organized anti-solar movement; the county has not been a significant target of utility-scale solar development to date
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
County Mayor Matt Adcock | R | Aug 2026 County Commission (14 members); verify at dekalbcountytn.gov

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority)
Utilities
Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation (MTE), 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 large confirmed utility-scale solar approvals on record; one commercial-scale project (sub-5 MW) in Smithville area.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects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