McCreary County
McCreary County, Kentucky: solar permitting grade D (score 58/100, High Risk). Score has been stable over the last 12 months. Primary-source ordinance and board-vote data on SitePath.
Public summary
| Grade | D · High Risk · Score 58/100 |
| Population | 17,115 |
| Solar ordinance | Active solar ordinance on the books |
| Active moratorium | None on record |
| Regulatory trajectory | Worsening (ordinance direction tightening) |
| 12-month score movement | Stable |
| Last verified | 2026-05-02 |
Developer outlook
McCreary County is a high-risk jurisdiction for utility-scale solar — documented ordinance hurdles are significant and approval history is mixed or unfavorable. Kentucky's state policy environment adds headwinds — the absence of a strong RPS framework means county-level resistance faces less counterbalancing pressure.
Local intel
No energy-related meetings, PSC dockets, or named opposition tracked for this county yet. See indexed calendar →
Nearby counties where SitePath is tracking energy activity: Pulaski County (≈27 mi) · Campbell County (≈29 mi) · Russell County (≈36 mi)
Nearby counties
- Whitley County · ≈19 miD57—
- Wayne County · ≈19 miD54—
- Scott County, TN · ≈20 miC49—
- Pulaski County · ≈27 miC44—
- Campbell County, TN · ≈29 miB41—
- Laurel County · ≈33 miC44—
Compare these counties side-by-side →
McCreary County ranks #103 of 120 ranked Kentucky counties (1 = lowest permitting risk). Lowest-risk in Kentucky: Jefferson County (B · 31), Woodford County (B · 36), Franklin County (B · 36). See all Kentucky county grades →
Want the full record?
Setback distances, board vote histories, source documents, and ordinance amendments are available in the full county profile. The map is free; a walkthrough shows you the underlying record.
About this score
Every U.S. county is scored 0–100 on solar permitting risk (lower is friendlier to development). The grade is a weighted composite of compliance stringency, market saturation, regulatory trajectory, and data uncertainty. Every figure traces back to a primary government document. Read the full methodology →
Related reading
SitePath Intelligence is a research platform. Data verified as of 2026-05-02. Scores update on a quarterly review cycle.