Risk Grade

Fair

East TN industrial/rural mix in TVA territory; moderate regulatory activity under SB 2373; community wariness growing as more applications submitted

Assessment Snapshot

Population

53794

State Rank

#38

Compliance

46%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

Not codified; practice varies by project

Zoning Mechanism

CUP per SB 2373; decommissioning bond required

Acreage Caps

None established

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral to cautious

Basis for Assessment

Some industrial land available but community wariness growing; limited organized opposition

Political Risk Factors

Worsening

Board Members

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

TVA

Utilities

Athens Utilities, Tennessee Valley Authority (wholesale)

State Permitting Process

County zoning authority under SB 2373 (2022); conditional use permit or special exception required; decommissioning bond often required; setback standards increasingly codified at county level

State Incentives

Federal ITC eligible; no Tennessee state solar tax credit; TVA Green Power Switch program

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects

Athens Solar I (~22 MW, 2022)

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None formally denied; one application withdrawn 2023

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McMinn County, TN — Solar Development Risk Assessment