McDowell County, WV — Solar Development Risk Assessment

No Moratorium

None codified. No county-specific setbacks adopted.

McDowell County Commission/Planning Commission: CUP in Agricultural district (for counties with planning & zoning).

Conservative — coal collapse identity; very limited solar land; mountainous terrain

WV; Welch area; historically poorest WV county; coal collapse; very limited solar land; mountainous

Worsening

No statewide siting authority preempting local zoning for independent power producer solar projects. WV PSC has authority over utility-owned generation facilities but not independent developers. IPP developers must work through county zoning/planning commissions or county commission for land use approvals. WV §22-32 (enacted 2020) requires decommissioning bonds for all wind/solar facilities — filed with WV DEP. WV Code §24-2-1O (utility-owned renewable program, brownfield/industrial sites only) sunset Dec 31, 2025. Most WV counties lack solar-specific ordinances; projects may require variances under general zoning codes. Appalachian Power (AEP subsidiary) serves most of WV; Mon Power (FirstEnergy) serves north-central WV; Potomac Edison (FirstEnergy) serves the eastern panhandle. All WV in PJM territory. Political climate strongly favors coal/gas; utility-scale solar development is in early stages except in the eastern panhandle (Jefferson, Berkeley, Morgan counties — most solar-active due to DC/MD market proximity). WV Legislature has not passed any solar preemption or streamlining legislation as of Mar 2026.

West Virginia has no Renewable Portfolio Standard and no significant state solar incentive program. Net metering: available under WV PSC Order for Mon Power (FirstEnergy) and Appalachian Power (AEP) customers; limited program sizes. WV §24-2-1O: utility-owned solar program SUNSET Dec 31 2025 — removes primary legal pathway for utility-owned solar development going forward. WV §22-32: decommissioning bond required for solar ≥1 MW. No state RPS, no state incentive programs beyond basic net metering. IPP projects governed entirely by county-level land use. Utility: Appalachian Power (AEP) serves most of WV; Mon Power/Potomac Edison (FirstEnergy) serves Monongalia/Marion/eastern panhandle; Wheeling Power serves Northern Panhandle.

No confirmed utility-scale solar projects on public record as of Mar 2026.

No confirmed WV PSC or county-level solar project denials for McDowell County — WV utility-scale solar market is nascent (31 MW statewide 2024); few formal applications exist. WV §24-2-1O utility program sunset Dec 31 2025 may reduce future applications.wv.gov