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Fannin County, TX — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

47
Risk Grade
Good
Grade B: No solar ordinance, no solar moratorium. Two large operational projects (Phoenix 105 MW + Coniglio 168 MWp). However wind moratorium discussions (Apr 2024) indicate some board willingness to restrict renewables — monitor for spillover to solar ordinance. SPP territory (different grid than most TX counties). Current trajectory: Stable.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
35662
State Rank
#34
Compliance
35%
Trajectory
50

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No specific moratorium information available.

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
None codified.
Zoning Mechanism
No ordinance — by-right in unincorporated areas for solar.
Acreage Caps
None.
Density Caps
None.
Spacing Rules
None.
Size Restrictions
None.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Mixed — wind moratorium discussions (Apr 2024) suggest some opposition sentiment; however solar projects approved and operational; no solar-specific ban attempt.
Basis for Assessment
Bonham county seat; Fannin County Electric Cooperative (retail); SPP grid territory; R-majority board; wind moratorium discussion (Apr 2024) — solar not directly targeted; 2 operational utility-scale solar projects delivering community tax revenue.
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
See fannincountytx.gov/commissioners for current commissioners court members

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
SPP (Southwest Power Pool) — Northeast Texas
Utilities
Fannin County Electric Cooperative
State Permitting Process
No state siting board for solar in Texas. PUCT regulates utilities; ERCOT manages interconnection for ERCOT service territory (most of state); SPP governs Panhandle/northwest TX. County Commissioners Court governs unincorporated areas under Texas Local Government Code. Many rural TX counties have NO zoning authority — solar is essentially by-right without county approval requirement. HB 2527 (2023) requires counties with solar ordinances to provide a 'reasonable' permitting framework. No statewide preemption prevents county restrictions. ERCOT interconnection queue is severely congested — grid study delays of 2-4+ years common.
State Incentives
Texas has no state RPS mandate. Key incentives: Federal ITC (30% base + bonus adders for energy communities/domestic content). Property tax abatement via Chapter 312/313 successor frameworks (county-level negotiation required). ERCOT wholesale market provides strong merchant revenue stack. No state income tax benefits developer HQ decisions. USDA REAP available for rural projects.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Phoenix Solar (Pattern Energy) — 105 MW / 83 MWac; OPERATIONAL; Digital Realty 12-year PPA; 200 construction jobs; $15M+ county/school revenue. Coniglio Solar (Q CELLS) — 168 MWp; OPERATIONAL; largest Q CELLS US project as of completion; powers ~30,000 homes.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
None documented.

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Last verified: April 2026 (web research) | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes