What Happens to Your Home During a California Power Shutoff?

During a California power shutoff, your home loses all electrical systems — refrigeration, internet, HVAC, security, garage doors, and medical equipment. PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) can last 24-72 hours. A home battery backup system automatically switches to stored power within milliseconds, keeping your essential systems running without interruption.

What Is a PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS)?

A Public Safety Power Shutoff is when PG&E intentionally turns off electricity to reduce wildfire risk during extreme weather. PSPS events affect Sacramento County, San Joaquin County, and Placer County residents, lasting 24-72 hours with as little as 24 hours notice. These planned outages are separate from unplanned grid failures.

A Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is when PG&E intentionally turns off electricity to reduce wildfire risk during extreme weather conditions — typically high winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation. PG&E monitors weather forecasts and may shut off power to entire communities with as little as 24-48 hours notice.

PSPS events primarily affect PG&E customers in foothill and rural areas, but urban communities in Sacramento County, San Joaquin County, and Placer County can also be impacted. During California's wildfire season (typically June through November), multiple PSPS events may occur.

SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District) does not conduct PSPS shutoffs, but SMUD customers are not immune to outages. Grid stress during extreme heat waves, equipment failures, and severe weather can all cause unplanned outages in the Sacramento area.

What Stops Working When the Power Goes Out?

When the power goes out, you lose refrigeration, internet, HVAC, security systems, garage door access, medical equipment, and EV charging. Food spoils within 4 hours, work-from-home becomes impossible, and Sacramento County's 100-degree summers make losing AC a genuine health risk for families.

When your power goes out, every electrical system in your home stops. Here's what Sacramento and Stockton homeowners lose during an outage:

• Refrigerator and freezer — food begins spoiling within 4 hours (refrigerator) and 24-48 hours (full freezer). A typical family can lose $200-$500 in food during a multi-day outage.
• Internet and Wi-Fi — your router and modem need power. No internet means no work-from-home, no streaming, no smart home devices, and no real-time weather updates during the emergency.
• Air conditioning and heating — in Sacramento's 100°F+ summers, losing AC is not just uncomfortable — it's a health risk, especially for elderly residents and young children.
• Garage door opener — most people don't know how to manually open their electric garage door. You could be locked out or unable to leave.
• Security system — cameras, alarms, and smart locks lose power. Battery backups on security panels typically last only a few hours.
• Medical equipment — CPAP machines, oxygen concentrators, powered wheelchairs, and medication refrigeration all require electricity. Extended outages are dangerous for medically dependent residents.
• Electric vehicle charging — you cannot charge your EV during an outage, which can leave you stranded if your battery is low when the shutoff begins.
• Sump pumps and well pumps — homes with sump pumps can flood; rural homes on wells lose water supply.

How Often Do Power Outages Happen in Sacramento & Stockton?

Sacramento County and San Joaquin County experience multiple power outages each year from PSPS shutoffs, heat-related grid emergencies, and equipment failures. PG&E customers in the eastern foothills face the most exposure, while SMUD customers in the city core see fewer but not zero outages during extreme heat waves.

Sacramento-area outage frequency depends on your utility provider. SMUD has historically been more reliable than PG&E, with fewer and shorter outages. However, both utilities have experienced increased grid stress in recent years due to extreme heat events.

PG&E customers in Sacramento County's eastern foothills, Placer County, and San Joaquin County face the most PSPS exposure. During the 2020-2024 wildfire seasons, PG&E conducted multiple PSPS events affecting hundreds of thousands of customers across Northern California. Even customers who weren't directly shut off experienced rolling blackouts during grid emergencies.

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) has issued Flex Alerts and grid emergency declarations during peak summer demand, asking all Californians to reduce electricity usage. These events are expected to continue and potentially worsen as California's grid faces increasing demand from electrification and EV charging.

How Does a Home Battery Protect You During an Outage?

A home battery backup system detects a grid outage and automatically switches your home to stored battery power within milliseconds. You experience no interruption — lights stay on, the refrigerator keeps running, and your internet stays connected. When paired with solar panels, the system recharges daily for indefinite backup.

A home battery backup system — like the Tesla Powerwall — continuously monitors the grid connection to your home. When it detects a power outage, it automatically disconnects from the grid and switches to battery power within milliseconds. This transition is so fast that you won't notice it — your lights stay on, your refrigerator keeps running, and your internet stays connected.

This automatic transfer happens through a device called a transfer switch (or gateway), which is installed as part of the battery system. Unlike a portable generator that you have to manually set up, fuel, and start, a home battery is always ready and requires zero action on your part during an outage.

When paired with solar panels, the battery recharges during daylight hours — even during an extended outage. This means a solar + battery system can power your home indefinitely during a multi-day PSPS event, as long as the sun shines during the day.

How Long Will a Home Battery Last During a Power Shutoff?

A single Tesla Powerwall (13.5 kWh) powers essential loads like refrigeration, lights, internet, and phone charging for 12-24 hours. With solar panels recharging during daylight, a solar-plus-battery system can sustain essential loads indefinitely through multi-day PSPS events common in Sacramento County and San Joaquin County.

A single Tesla Powerwall has 13.5 kWh of usable capacity. How long that lasts depends entirely on what you're powering:

• Essential loads only (refrigerator, lights, internet, phone charging): 12-24 hours on a single battery
• Essential loads + occasional AC: 6-12 hours depending on AC runtime
• Whole-home backup including AC: 3-6 hours (AC is a 3-5 kW load)

For extended backup, multiple batteries increase your capacity proportionally. Two Powerwalls provide 27 kWh; three provide 40.5 kWh. Combined with solar panels that recharge the batteries each day, even a single-battery system can sustain essential loads indefinitely.

Do You Need Solar Panels for Battery Backup to Work?

No, solar panels are not required for battery backup. A standalone battery charges from the grid during cheap off-peak hours and provides backup during outages. However, adding solar panels allows the battery to recharge daily, which is critical for multi-day PSPS shutoffs that can last 48-72 hours in Sacramento County and San Joaquin County.

No. A standalone battery system charges from the grid during cheap off-peak hours and provides backup power during outages. Many homeowners start with battery-only for immediate backup protection and add solar panels later.

However, for extended outages lasting more than 24 hours (common during PSPS events), solar panels make a critical difference. Without solar, your battery will eventually deplete. With solar, the battery recharges each day, providing continuous power throughout a multi-day shutoff.

How Much Does a Battery Backup System Cost in Sacramento?

A home battery backup system in Sacramento costs $12,000-$20,000 installed for a single battery, or $20,000-$35,000+ for whole-home multi-battery backup. California SGIP rebates can reduce costs by $2,700-$14,850 depending on eligibility, and SMUD customers may receive up to $10,000 through the My Energy Optimizer Partner+ program.

Home battery systems in California typically cost $12,000-$20,000 installed for a single-battery system, and $20,000-$35,000+ for multi-battery whole-home backup. The California SGIP rebate can further reduce cost for qualifying homeowners — especially those in high-fire-threat districts or who meet equity program income thresholds.

For a detailed breakdown of battery costs and incentives, see our guide: Home Battery Storage Installation.

How to Get Started with Battery Backup

Getting started is simple: schedule a free site assessment. A licensed technician evaluates your electrical panel, energy usage, and backup priorities, then designs a system sized for your home with transparent pricing that includes all available rebates and incentives for Sacramento County and San Joaquin County homeowners.

The first step is a free site assessment. A licensed technician visits your home to evaluate your electrical panel, energy usage, and backup priorities. We then design a battery system sized for your specific needs and provide transparent pricing — including all available incentives and rebates.

Based on over 250 STORPWR installations across Northern California.