SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / TN / Dyer County

Dyer County County, TN — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

37.7
Risk Grade
Good
Dyer County scores B as an established West Tennessee solar county with operating projects, minimal regulatory barriers, flat terrain, and stable political trajectory. Moderate saturation risk reflects the growing solar presence but no opposition movement has emerged to constrain further development.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
37,172
State Rank
#9
Compliance
32%
Trajectory
33

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 adopted. Dyersburg area industrial zone has additional local considerations.
Zoning Mechanism
Dyer County Planning Commission: CUP in A-1 Agricultural zoning; County Commission review per SB 2373 (2022) for projects >20 acres.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Moderate-positive — flat West Tennessee farming community with established solar development history; landowner lease income is well-understood and largely accepted; Dyersburg area has some industrial/commercial opposition near specific sites but no broad anti-solar movement
Basis for Assessment
Dyer County is one of West Tennessee's more developed solar counties; multiple large utility-scale projects are operating; Dyer County Electric System distributes TVA power; flat Mississippi embayment terrain is ideal for utility-scale solar; the community has largely accepted solar as a compatible agricultural land use; slight population growth in Dyersburg area reflects modest economic stabilization partly attributed to solar/industrial growth
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
County Mayor Chris Young | R | Aug 2026 County Commission (16 members); verify at dyercountytn.gov

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority)
Utilities
Dyer County Electric System (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
Dyer County Solar Farm I (approximately 80 MW, Newbern area) | Operating since 2021 Dyer County Solar Farm II (approximately 60 MW) | Approved 2023 | Operating Additional pipeline projects reported
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No confirmed denials on record.

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