Will solar and a battery keep my lights on during a PSPS shutoff?

A grid-tied solar system alone shuts down during an outage for safety. Pair it with a battery like the Tesla Powerwall 3 (13.5 kWh usable, 11.5 kW continuous) and your home can keep critical loads running through a Public Safety Power Shutoff or storm outage, then recharge from your panels the next day — all managed in the Tesla app. For PG&E customers in PSPS-prone areas, that backup is often the deciding factor.

Does solar help with Central Valley heat in Fresno and Bakersfield?

Yes. Summer days in Fresno County and Kern County drive heavy air-conditioning use right when PG&E peak rates are highest. Solar generates the most power during those same sunny afternoon hours, offsetting the most expensive electricity you buy. Adding a battery lets you store midday production and discharge it through the costly evening peak instead of paying full price.

How does PG&E interconnection work, and who handles it?

Before your system can export to the grid, PG&E must approve interconnection and grant Permission to Operate (PTO). Our local crews manage the full process for you — design, permitting, installation, inspection, and the PG&E interconnection paperwork — so you are not chasing the utility yourself. You can verify our CSLB license (#1023627) anytime.

Solar panels on a home roof in PG&E territory in golden light

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)

Solar & battery for PG&E customers

With PG&E rates averaging roughly $0.42/kWh, brutal Central Valley heat, and frequent PSPS outages, solar paired with battery storage is especially valuable across PG&E territory. See what your roof can do.

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Why solar pays off on PG&E

Three reasons PG&E customers go solar-plus-battery

It is not just the rate. It is the rate, the heat, and the outages — three forces that hit PG&E customers at once.

Rates near ~$0.42/kWh

PG&E's approximate average rate is among the highest in the country, and time-of-use peak hours cost even more. The higher your bill, the more each kilowatt-hour your roof produces is worth.

Central Valley heat

Fresno and Bakersfield summers mean relentless AC load on the priciest afternoons. Solar peaks when the heat does, offsetting your most expensive hours instead of paying full PG&E rates.

PSPS backup that works

Public Safety Power Shutoffs are a fact of life across PG&E territory. A Powerwall keeps your essentials running through outages and recharges from your panels the next day.

Fresno · Bakersfield · Central Valley

High rates and high heat, working against your bill

In Fresno County and Kern County, summer air-conditioning runs hardest on the very afternoons PG&E charges the most. That overlap is exactly where solar earns its keep.

PG&E averages roughly $0.42/kWh — an approximate blended figure, with time-of-use peaks even higher.
Solar production peaks midday, offsetting your most expensive hours of usage.
Add a battery to bank cheap midday power and spend it through the costly evening peak.
Every estimate is sized against your real PG&E bill — not a generic average.

A long rooftop solar array on a shake-style California roof, with tree-covered hills beyond

Tesla Powerwall battery mounted on a home exterior

PSPS & outage backup

Keep the power on when PG&E shuts it off

Public Safety Power Shutoffs and storm outages are routine across PG&E territory. Solar alone goes dark for safety — but solar plus a battery keeps your home running.

A Tesla Powerwall 3 delivers 13.5 kWh usable and 11.5 kW continuous output, with a roughly 10-year warranty and native solar integration — enough to carry critical loads through a PSPS event.

During the day your panels recharge the battery, so a multi-day shutoff doesn't have to mean a dark, hot house. Everything is monitored and managed in the Tesla app.

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PG&E interconnection, handled

We manage the utility paperwork end to end

Going solar on PG&E means design, permitting, install, inspection, and the utility's interconnection approval before you earn Permission to Operate. Our local crews own the whole process.

We file your PG&E interconnection application and shepherd it to Permission to Operate (PTO).

Permitting, inspection scheduling, and utility coordination are all handled by our team.

Verify our work anytime: CSLB license #1023627, BBB A+, and Tesla Premier Certified.

Prefer to talk it through? Call 949-427-8817 and a local advisor will walk you through it.

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PG&E solar questions

PG&E customer FAQs

Straight answers on rates, backup, heat, and interconnection — written for PG&E homeowners.

PG&E residential rates average roughly $0.42/kWh as an approximate blended figure across plans — and time-of-use peak pricing pushes the most expensive hours higher still. Your exact rate depends on your plan and tier, but the more you pay PG&E, the more a solar-plus-battery system can offset. We size your estimate against your real bill, not a generic number.

Why PG&E customers choose OC Solar