SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / WA / Yakima

Yakima County, WA — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

43.7
Risk Grade
Good
Agricultural land competition (premium apple and hop orchards) and growing saturation are primary risk factors; excellent irradiance (5.2 kWh/m²/day) and Yakima Power support provide strong development foundation.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
250,873
State Rank
#17
Compliance
38%
Trajectory
35

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
Yakima County code: setback and site plan requirements for utility-scale solar in Agricultural zones.
Zoning Mechanism
Yakima County: CUP in Agricultural zones; Yakima County Hearing Examiner; Board of County Commissioners. City of Yakima: Yakima Power interconnection process.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Mixed to neutral — apple and hop farming community protective of prime ag land; I-82 corridor industrial areas receptive; Yakima Power supportive; growing solar market
Basis for Assessment
Pacific Power and Yakima Power (municipal) serve county; Yakima Valley is among largest apple, hop, and wine grape producing regions in WA; high irradiance (5.2 kWh/m²/day) drives strong project economics; prime orchard land politically sensitive but dryland grain hillsides more available; I-82 infrastructure corridor supports development
Political Risk Factors
Stable
Board Members
Board of Yakima County Commissioners (3 members) | Partisan elections | 4-yr terms | Yakima County Courthouse, Yakima WA

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
WECC / BPA Transmission — Pacific Power and Yakima Power service territory; Yakima Valley grid / BPA John Day-area substations
Utilities
Pacific Power (PacifiCorp), Yakima Power (City of Yakima)
State Permitting Process
Large facilities (≥350 MW): EFSEC exclusive jurisdiction. <350 MW: county CUP/SUP; no statewide preemption floor. SEPA review required. GMA energy siting required in comprehensive plans. SMA applies near shorelines. Critical Areas Ordinances: wetlands, fish habitat, flood zones require county CAO compliance. Ag land conversion: county-specific farmland protection policies apply.
State Incentives
Washington Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA/SB 5116, 2019): IOUs carbon-neutral by 2030; 100% carbon-free by 2045. Net metering: ≤100 kW IOU customers under WUTC; PUDs set individual limits. RESIP: production incentives for ≤100 kW systems. Sales & use tax exemption (RCW 82.08.962). Property tax exemption (RCW 84.36.635). Community solar via PSE, SnoPUD, Tacoma Power, Clark Public Utilities, and most WA PUDs. PACE financing in participating counties. Federal ITC: 30% (IRA 2022); 10% low-income adder for qualifying projects.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Several utility-scale solar projects approved and operational along I-82 corridor; commercial rooftop pipeline in Yakima and Selah industrial areas; Yakima Power net metering program active; some dual-use agrivoltaic projects on dryland grain parcels.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No formal denials on record; some projects redirected from prime orchard land to dryland wheat parcels.

Explore the Full Tracker

View risk assessments for all 3,100+ US counties, compare states, and download detailed ordinance data for your solar development pipeline.

Launch SolarRisk Tracker

Last verified: 2026-04-01 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes