Risk Grade

Good

Kingsport/Bristol East TN; mountainous terrain limits utility-scale sites; Eastman Chemical industrial complex shapes energy politics; dual-utility territory (BTES + Kingsport Power/AEP) adds coordination complexity; moderate SB 2373 framework

Assessment Snapshot

Population

158348

State Rank

#26

Compliance

50%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

Not codified; Kingsport Power (AEP) territory adds separate interconnect review

Zoning Mechanism

CUP per SB 2373; decommissioning bond; dual-utility interconnect coordination (BTES and Kingsport Power/AEP); decommissioning bond required

Acreage Caps

None established

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Mixed

Basis for Assessment

Industrial Kingsport identity alongside mountain terrain; Eastman Chemical presence shapes energy politics; limited large-scale solar land available

Political Risk Factors

Stable

Board Members

County Executive: Richard Venable | R | 2026; Commission: Republican majority

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

TVA

Utilities

Bristol Tennessee Essential Services (BTES), Kingsport Power (AEP subsidiary); TVA (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

Sullivan County Solar I (~20 MW, 2022)

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

None on record

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Sullivan County, TN — Solar Development Risk Assessment