Board extends moratoria on utility-scale solar and battery storage through 2025 while staff pursues zoning work

The Jackson County Board of Supervisors on April 1 approved two resolutions extending temporary moratoria on permitting utility-scale solar energy conversion systems and utility-scale battery energy storage systems until Dec. 31, 2025.

County staff presented the resolutions and said the extensions would give officials time to draft local ordinance language specific to large-scale solar and battery facilities. The board approved resolution 1108040125 to extend the solar moratorium and resolution 1109040125 to extend the battery-storage moratorium; both measures were approved by voice vote after motions from Supervisor Ninh and second by Supervisor Mike Stannis.

Staff said they are also engaging the local electric cooperative to help answer technical questions. County staff reported contacting Nick Schulte, identified in the meeting as a leader at "Macogona Valley Electric Company," and said he is willing to meet with the board if supervisors provide a list of technical questions in advance so he can prepare. Staff asked board members to submit such questions by email.

Officials expressed a primary concern about grid capacity: whether proposed facilities would reserve a portion of available capacity or could consume capacity needed for other economic development. One supervisor said expanding grid capacity is not a fast process and cautioned that allowing large users to consume available capacity could hinder future development projects.

Staff also said they are working on a draft ordinance for data-center or data-mining facilities and will arrange a meeting with the electric company once supervisors submit questions. No timeline for the ordinance’s introduction was set in the meeting record.