PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoff) events can cut power for days across LA and Orange County wildfire-risk communities. A solar + battery system may provide quiet backup for selected loads and can recharge from panels during daylight when system configuration and weather allow. Tesla Certified Premium Installer.
Reviewed by Los Angeles & Orange County homeowners
PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoff) events are pre-planned utility outages designed to reduce wildfire ignition risk during extreme fire weather — high winds, very low humidity, and critically dry vegetation. SCE has implemented PSPS across much of its LA County and Orange County service area. LADWP has also conducted planned outages in high fire-risk communities it serves.
Specific backup duration depends on system design, battery capacity, weather and load during PSPS events — runtime depends on battery capacity, load, solar production, and weather. We model estimated performance during your estimate.
Regular residential SGIP budgets, including the former resilience pathway for wildfire and PSPS customers, are closed to new applicants. The remaining state-funded RSSE program is limited to qualifying low-income households and is currently waitlisted.
We are not a tax advisor. Consult a qualified professional for tax questions. Current SGIP status guide →
Solar + Tesla Powerwall or Enphase IQ Battery for PSPS backup planning. current SGIP status review. LADWP and SCE territory planning. Tesla Certified Premium Installer. CSLB #1055444.
PSPS stands for Public Safety Power Shutoff. Electric utilities (primarily SCE in the LA/OC area) proactively cut power to reduce wildfire ignition risk when dangerous fire weather conditions — high winds, low humidity, dry vegetation — combine with stressed electrical equipment. PSPS events can last from hours to several days and affect tens of thousands of customers across LA and OC counties.
LADWP has conducted its own planned outages in high fire-risk areas, though the program and criteria differ from SCE's PSPS program. Customers in hillside, canyon, and brush-adjacent communities served by LADWP — including parts of Pacific Palisades, Brentwood hills, Studio City hills, and others — should plan for potential planned or unplanned outages during fire weather events regardless of utility.
A home battery system stores electricity during normal grid operation and supplies it during a grid outage — including a PSPS event. Paired with solar, the system may continue charging the battery from panels during the day, depending on inverter configuration, weather and system design. Battery backup can support selected circuits or broader loads based on approved electrical configuration.
Regular residential SGIP budgets, including the former resilience pathway for wildfire and PSPS customers, are closed to new applicants. The remaining income-qualified RSSE program is currently waitlisted. Wildfire risk does not create a separate open tier, and no amount should be treated as project savings without written reservation approval.
Yes, in the right system configuration. When solar panels are generating and the inverter is properly set up for backup (island) mode, they can continue charging the battery during a daytime outage. Over a multi-day PSPS event, solar recharging can extend backup during daylight hours, depending on load management and solar production. Specific backup duration depends on system design, battery capacity, weather and load — runtime depends on weather, cloud cover, and load.
Battery + solar may offer quiet backup and daytime recharging when the system is configured for backup mode and solar production is available. Generators require fuel (which may not be readily available during a regional emergency), are noisy, produce exhaust, and require manual startup. The right choice depends on your backup load requirements, budget, and how long you need to sustain power. We discuss both options during your estimate.
SCE publishes fire threat district maps; PSPS events most frequently affect communities in Tier 2 and Tier 3 High Fire Threat Districts — including foothill and canyon communities across LA County and parts of Orange County. Utility territory and fire threat district status should be confirmed by address because SCE, LADWP and municipal utilities follow different rules and programs. We review available mapping and utility information during the estimate.
Tesla Certified Premium Installer. CSLB #1055444. We are not a tax advisor — consult a qualified professional for tax questions.
