Risk Grade

Fair

Johnson City East TN; mountainous terrain limits large sites; JCPB municipal utility adds local layer; growing population; worsening trajectory as commission faces more applications and setback demands from residents

Assessment Snapshot

Population

129375

State Rank

#33

Compliance

50%

Trajectory

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium

No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements

Not codified; setback language under discussion at county level 2025

Zoning Mechanism

CUP per SB 2373; JCPB interconnect review; decommissioning bond required; setback discussion ongoing

Acreage Caps

None formal

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis

Mixed

Basis for Assessment

Johnson City growing; ETSU university community brings environmental awareness; some residents organized against large-scale solar near neighborhoods; commission reviewing setback standards

Political Risk Factors

Worsening

Board Members

County Executive: Joe Grandy | R | 2026; Commission: Republican majority

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator

TVA

Utilities

Johnson City Power Board (JCPB), 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

Washington County Solar I (~20 MW, 2022); Telford Solar (~15 MW, 2023)

Denied/Withdrawn Projects

One application deferred pending setback definition 2024

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Washington County, TN — Solar Development Risk Assessment