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Dickson County County, TN — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

53.1
Risk Grade
Fair
Dickson County scores C as a growing Nashville exurb where agricultural land for utility-scale solar is shrinking due to suburban development, rising incomes bring opposition to industrial land use, and the political trajectory is worsening even without a formal ordinance. The dynamic mirrors Cheatham County but with a larger and faster-growing suburban population.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
55,699
State Rank
#34
Compliance
48%
Trajectory
50

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
State minimums apply. County planning has informally discussed enhanced setbacks (500–750 ft residential); not formally adopted as of early 2026.
Zoning Mechanism
Dickson County Planning Commission: CUP in Agricultural zoning; County Commission review per SB 2373 (2022). Dickson Electric System coordinates interconnection.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Mixed trending resistant — growing exurban community with Nashville metro spillover; higher incomes reflect professional-class in-migrants who oppose industrial uses near their rural-residential properties; farming community in western county is more open to solar lease income
Basis for Assessment
Dickson County is experiencing the same Nashville exurban growth dynamic as Cheatham and Williamson counties; western portions remain agricultural but suburban development is advancing rapidly; Dickson Electric System is a municipal utility with TVA wholesale; trajectory clearly worsening as county formalizes solar review standards in response to increased development pressure
Political Risk Factors
Worsening
Board Members
County Mayor Bob Rial | R | Aug 2026 County Commission (14 members); verify at dicksoncountytn.gov

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority)
Utilities
Dickson Electric System (municipal, 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
One utility-scale project (~30 MW) in western Dickson County agricultural area approved 2022.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
One proposed project was substantially downsized after community opposition near a residential area west of Dickson city.

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