Solar permitting — Chester County, South Carolina
14 indexed meetings (14 energy-related), 0 PSC dockets, 0 news items, 9 known opposition groups.
⛔ ACTIVE MORATORIUM — Active Moratorium; moratorium expires —confirm expiration with county planning. Permitting: CUP via Chester County Planning; 100-ft max / 50-ft min setbacks. Track record: Chester Solar I (~25 MW, 2021); Lewisville Solar (~35 MW, 2022); Black Rock Solar (~20 MW, 2023, Duke Ener
Key driver: Rural upstate SC county with multiple approved solar projects; low-to-moderate compliance burden; Duke Energy Carolinas active procurement supports feasibility; slightly elevated uncertainty reflects limited ongoing planning documentation
Permitting process
Local permitting pathway
CUP via Chester County Planning; County Council approval
Setbacks & buffers
100 ft from residential; 50 ft from property lines (informal guidelines)
Spacing requirements
Not specified
Size restrictions
None codified; managed via CUP/SUP conditions
Penalties & bonding
Total penalty: +28 | Active moratorium: +28
State-level permits & approvals
County zoning authority; no state solar preemption; special exception or conditional use permit typically required for utility-scale (>1 MW); decommissioning bond increasingly required
State policy & grid context
State RPS & clean energy policy
No binding RPS | None | Energy Freedom Act (2019) addresses solar but no state RPS
State incentive programs
Federal ITC eligible; SC state income tax credit for solar (25% up to $35,000 for commercial); SC Energy Freedom Act net metering provisions
Grid & interconnection
SERC-SE; Duke Energy Carolinas
Subscriber intel Subscribers
Researched for this county and available with a subscription:
- 🔒Project track record
- 🔒Developer intelligence
- 🔒Community & board sentiment
- 🔒Governing board
- 🔒Sentiment & opposition
Energy-related meetings & dockets P1
Halo color = sentiment of the relevant agenda excerpt: green positive, yellow neutral, red negative.
- Zoning BoardSolar
The Planning Commission voted to deny a special-use permit application for a 150 MW solar farm
- Planning CommissionData Center
The Planning Commission voted to approve a special-use permit application for a 150 MW solar farm
- Planning CommissionSolar
CCTA26-03 – Chester County Zoning Ordinance – Text Amendment to Chapter 5 §5-701(1-2), Supplemental Regulations – 'Solar Farm District and Design Standards Required'
- Planning CommissionSolar
CCTA26-03 – Chester County Zoning Ordinance – Text Amendment to Chapter 5 §5-701(1-2), Supplemental Regulations – Solar Farm District and Design Standards Required
- Planning CommissionSolar
County Council approved a proposal for a 150 MW solar farm.
- Parks Rec BoardData Center
The Chester County Planning Commission approved a special-use permit application for a 150 MW solar farm.
- Planning CommissionSolar
CCTA26-03 – Chester County Zoning Ordinance – Text Amendment to Chapter 5 §5-701(1-2), Supplemental Regulations – 'Solar Farm District and Design Standards Required'
- Planning CommissionData Center
The Planning Commission voted to approve a special-use permit application for a 150 MW solar farm
- Planning CommissionSolar
CCTA26-03 – Chester County Zoning Ordinance – Text Amendment to Chapter 5 §5-701(1-2), Supplemental Regulations – 'Solar Farm District and Design Standards Required'
- OtherTransmission
Approved a transmission line project for 150 MW solar farm
- Planning CommissionSolar
The Planning Commission approved a special-use permit application for a proposed 150 MW solar farm.
- Parks Rec BoardData Center
The Chester County Recreation Center at Chester Technology Park discussed a data center proposal for a new business.
- Planning CommissionTransmission
The Chairman presented a plat for easement across the transmission line.
- Planning CommissionSolar
CCTA26-03 – Chester County Zoning Ordinance – Text Amendment to Chapter 5 §5-701(1-2), Supplemental Regulations – Solar Farm District and Design Standards Required
State PSC dockets P1
No PSC dockets matched to this county yet.
Local news P3
News ingestion not yet active for this county (GDELT/RSS pipeline pending).
Filter by grade, state, moratorium status, and compliance stringency. Compare counties side by side.