Not on its own. Solar systems tied to the grid are required to shut off when the grid goes down, so panels without a battery stop powering your home during an outage. A battery with the right equipment and setup can keep power on. How much depends on the system.
1. Why do solar panels shut off in an outage?
Grid-tied solar inverters are required to detect a loss of grid power and disconnect. The rules are UL 1741, IEEE 1547-2018 and Article 705 of the National Electrical Code.1 So a system tied to the grid, with no battery, stops powering your home when the grid goes down.
2. Why do California utilities cut power on purpose?
The CPUC says the investor-owned utilities “may proactively cut power to electrical lines as a measure of last resort if the utility reasonably believes that there is an imminent and significant risk that strong winds may topple power lines or cause major vegetation-related issues leading to increased risk of wildfires.”2 These are Public Safety Power Shutoffs. They happen during high wind and fire risk.
3. Are shutoffs getting more common?
SCE's 2026 shutoff plan says they “could happen more frequently, impact more customers, and last longer,” and that its revised criteria “could result in longer, more extensive outages, including in areas that historically have not experienced PSPS.”3
On October 13, 2026, PG&E warned about 70,000 customers in 29 counties of possible shutoffs from October 14 through October 17, because of high wind and fire risk.4 SDG&E may also shut off power during high fire-risk weather.5
4. What can a battery do in an outage?
A battery stores energy for later. Keeping power on during an outage takes the right equipment and the right setup.6 How much of your home it covers, and for how long, depends on the system. Ask for that in writing for your own design.
5. Who should plan for a shutoff?
The CPUC notes that shutoffs “can leave communities and essential facilities without power, which brings its own risks and hardships, especially for vulnerable communities and individuals.”2 If anyone in your home depends on a machine that needs power, plan for a shutoff.
Quick answers.
Will my solar panels work during a power shutoff?
Not on their own. Grid-tied inverters must shut off when the grid goes down. A battery with the right equipment and setup can keep power on.
How long can a battery run my home?
It depends on the battery, the equipment and what you run. No one can give you a real answer without looking at your system and your home.
Why do utilities shut power off on purpose?
During high wind and fire risk, California's investor-owned utilities may cut power to lines as a last resort to lower the risk of wildfires, according to the CPUC.
Sources.
- UL 1741, IEEE 1547-2018 and the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), Article 705.
- CPUC, Public Safety Power Shutoffs, checked September 2026.
- SCE, 2026 PSPS Action Plan, checked September 2026.
- PG&E news release, October 13, 2026.
- 211 San Diego, Public Safety Power Shutoffs, checked September 2026.
- Solar and Resilience Basics, US Department of Energy, checked September 2026.
