SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / WY / Laramie

Laramie County, WY — Solar Development Risk Assessment

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

47.2
Risk Grade
Fair
Most populous county, state capital, growing population, some regulatory framework; conservative state government limits state-level support
Assessment Snapshot
Population
99500
State Rank
#4
Compliance
43%
Trajectory
44

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
Laramie County WY: Cowboy Solar I & II (771 MW, Enbridge) — setbacks established through Wyoming Industrial Siting Council (ISC) permit process (May 2024). ISC permit conditions: project-specific setbacks from property lines and structures; exact setback distances from ISC permit not publicly confirmed in available sources. Data center corridor location: primary development adjacent to Cheyenne data centers — no major sage grouse lek conflicts in south Laramie County flat terrain. PacifiCorp/Rocky Mountain Power: WECC interconnection. Laramie County: no solar-specific county ordinance separate from ISC permit requirements. Height: ≤15 ft typical for ground-mounted at maximum tilt (standard practice). ISC permit: road use agreement, decommissioning plan, financial assurance required (WY ISC standard conditions for industrial facilities). BLM: Laramie County includes BLM land but Cowboy Solar on private land only.
Zoning Mechanism
Laramie County: CUP/SUP for smaller projects. Wyoming ISC Site Permit for large facilities.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Supportive — board unanimously approved Cowboy Solar project (771 MW, $1.2B, 2025-2027); one of nation's largest solar farms; battery storage increase approved Aug 2025.
Basis for Assessment
R-majority rural Wyoming county (Cheyenne area); Enbridge-led project; 3 landowners (Fogg, Dunning, Atchison trusts) in support; $26M+ property tax revenue; 12-15 full-time jobs; Rocky Mountain Power/PacifiCorp territory; 25-year lease.
Political Risk Factors
Neutral
Board Members
Board of County Commissioners | 3 members | 4-year terms | partisan (all counties R-majority)

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
WECC / PacifiCorp
Utilities
Rocky Mountain Power (Cheyenne)
State Permitting Process
County zoning; WDEQ
State Incentives
Federal ITC only

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
Cowboy Solar I & II | 771 MW solar + 269 MW/771 MWh BESS | Laramie County (south Cheyenne area) | Enbridge developer | Wyoming Industrial Siting Council (ISC) permit approved early May 2024 | construction started 2025 | $1.2 billion | target completion 2027 | 1.2 million+ solar panels | 285-375 temporary workers | designed to power data centers in south Cheyenne (Laramie County data center corridor) | WECC interconnection | will be Wyoming's largest solar project and one of largest in US (Canary Media Jun 3 2024; Construction Review Online Jan 10 2026).
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No confirmed ISC denials for Laramie County. ISC permit approved without formal denial.

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: 2026-03-24 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes