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February 20, 2025
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April 2, 2025Backup Battery Proves Crucial During Eaton Fire in Altadena
Daniel H., an Altadena resident, recently shared with us how his battery helped save his life. As the Eaton Fire rapidly spread in early January, power outages throughout Southern California left many without electricity for days. Many were left without crucial appliances, and the lack of internet connection cut them off from the news.
Daniel’s backup battery, however, kept his home powered for close to two days before the fire ultimately spread and damaged his system. However, during that period, he became the information center for his neighborhood, regularly providing important updates. This ultimately helped him and his neighbors to evacuate to safety.
“Having the solar and battery system allowed me to monitor the fire and help save lives,” Daniel said.
The Importance of Battery Backup
The unfortunate truth is that extreme weather events, including fires and severe winds, will continue to affect Southern California. Power outages, whether caused by damage to power lines or proactive shutdowns by utility companies in high-risk areas, are becoming increasingly common. Even before disaster strikes, you could be left without power.
Having a backup battery to power your necessary appliances can quite literally be a lifesaver in these scenarios. In the case of the fires that affected thousands of people, we are thankful that the batteries we installed helped to make a difference.
The importance of having a backup battery cannot be overstated, especially in times of disaster. As seen in Daniel’s case, having access to power during a crisis can provide critical information, ensure essential devices remain operational, and even save lives. With climate change increasing the frequency and intensity of wildfires and other extreme weather events in California, homeowners must consider energy resilience as part of their disaster preparedness strategy.
At Solar Discovery, we believe that solar and battery storage solutions offer more than just energy savings—they provide security and independence when it matters most. If you have already installed solar, adding a battery backup system ensures that you have backup power ready to keep your home running when the grid goes down.
Resources for Those Affected by the Eaton Fire
For those living in the Altadena and Pasadena areas who have been affected by the Eaton Fire, we recommend exploring the resources available to assist in recovery and rebuilding efforts. Here are a few things that may be helpful:
- Expedited Permitting: Altadena City has opened a rapid over-the-counter permit center to help residents rebuild their homes and energy systems more efficiently. This will streamline the permitting process and help homeowners restore power faster.
- Southern California Edison (SCE) Support: SCE is offering a four-year grace period for customers affected by the fire to recover their solar systems while maintaining their current Net Energy Metering (NEM) status. This means that if you had a solar system before the disaster, you can rebuild it without being forced into a less favorable rate structure.
- Net Energy Metering (NEM) Reinstatement: If you are a residential NEM customer impacted by the fire, you may be eligible to remain on your original NEM tariff and have application fees waived if you meet the following requirements:
- Notify SCE of your intent to rebuild within two years of the Eaton Fire AND
- Complete the rebuild and submit a new NEM application within four years of the Eaton Fire.
Additional Resources
Solar Discovery is Here to Help
At Solar Discovery, we are committed to helping our local Southern California community through this difficult time. We are offering free site assessments for homeowners affected by the Eaton and Palisades Fires to evaluate damage to their solar systems and assist in the rebuilding process. If your home was affected, reach out to us to schedule an inspection and learn how you can restore your solar and battery systems as quickly as possible. If you have any other questions or would like to learn more about a solar battery backup system that can protect your home during emergencies, contact us today.
