What Happens During a Power Outage? Solar vs. Solar + Battery in Colorado

Colorado homeowners are no strangers to power outages. Winter storms, high winds, equipment failures, extreme weather, and Xcel Energy Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) can all leave homes without electricity. As Colorado experiences drier conditions and increased wildfire risk, utilities are taking additional precautions to protect communities, making planned power shutoffs and wildfire-related outages an increasingly important consideration for homeowners.

But what happens when the grid goes down depends on how your home is powered.

If you rely entirely on the electric grid, an outage means losing electricity until your utility restores service. If you have solar panels, you might assume your home will stay powered as long as the Colorado sun is shining, but that usually isn’t the case.

With solar and battery backup, however, your home can have another source of power when the grid isn’t available.

Here’s what Colorado homeowners should know about solar panels, home battery backup, and power outages.

No Solar or Battery: Your Home Loses Power

For a traditional Colorado home that relies entirely on the electric grid, an outage means your home loses its source of electricity.

Lights turn off. Outlets stop working. Refrigerators, Wi-Fi, appliances, and heating or cooling equipment that depend on electricity may stop operating. Your home remains without power until the utility restores service. Whether an outage is caused by severe weather, high winds, equipment problems, or another grid issue, you’re dependent on the utility to get your electricity back online.

Colorado homeowners saw just how disruptive extended outages can become in December 2025. Days before Christmas, extreme winds, low humidity, and exceptionally dry conditions created dangerous wildfire conditions along the Front Range, prompting Xcel Energy to implement multiple Public Safety Power Shutoffs.

On December 17, approximately 50,000 customers were impacted by the planned shutoff, while tens of thousands more experienced weather-related outages. Another widespread PSPS followed on December 19 as extreme fire weather returned. Because some communities were affected by both events, Xcel Energy warned that certain areas could be without electricity for more than three days.

These shutoffs are designed to reduce the risk of electrical equipment starting a wildfire, but they also demonstrate how quickly extreme Colorado weather can turn into an extended power outage for homeowners.

Public Safety Power Shutoffs are becoming an important part of Colorado’s wildfire preparedness strategy. High winds, low humidity, dry vegetation, and dry ground conditions can create situations where electrical infrastructure poses an increased wildfire risk. During extreme conditions, Xcel Energy may proactively shut off power to targeted areas or activate Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS) to reduce that risk.

Colorado’s wildfire season is also becoming less predictable. Drier conditions, low snowpack, and periods of unusually warm weather can create elevated fire danger outside of the traditional summer wildfire season, meaning homeowners may need to be prepared for wildfire-related outages throughout more of the year.

Do Solar Panels Work During a Power Outage in Colorado?

This is one of the biggest misconceptions about residential solar.

Most grid-connected solar systems do not continue powering your home during a power outage.

When your solar system detects that the utility grid has gone offline, it typically shuts down automatically. This safety feature, known as anti-islanding protection, helps protect utility workers who may be repairing electrical lines.

That means even if it’s a bright, sunny Colorado day and your panels are capable of producing electricity, a typical grid-tied solar system will not continue powering your home during an outage.

Solar + Battery Backup: Keep Your Colorado Home Powered

Adding home battery storage changes what happens when the Colorado grid goes down.

Whether an outage is caused by a winter storm, equipment failure, extreme winds, an Xcel Energy Public Safety Power Shutoff, or heightened wildfire conditions, a properly configured solar and battery system can disconnect your home from the utility grid and begin using energy stored in your battery.

Instead of being completely dependent on the utility to restore electricity, your home has access to its own stored energy.

Depending on your system design, home battery backup in Colorado can help keep important loads running, including:

How Solar and Batteries Work Together During a Colorado Power Outage

The biggest advantage of combining solar panels with battery storage is that your system has the ability to both generate and store electricity.

During daylight hours, your solar panels generate electricity. That solar energy can power your home’s electrical loads while available excess production can recharge your battery.

When solar production drops overnight, your home can use electricity stored in the battery.

When the sun comes up again, your panels can begin producing electricity and potentially recharge your battery for another night.

This ability can be especially valuable during an extended Colorado power outage or Xcel Energy Public Safety Power Shutoff. Instead of relying solely on a backup energy supply that gradually depletes, solar provides an opportunity to produce additional electricity and recharge your battery while the utility grid remains unavailable.

Prepare Your Colorado Home Before the Next Power Outage

You can’t control when a power outage happens. You can control how prepared your home is when it does.

Photon Brothers designs and installs solar panels and Tesla Powerwall battery backup systems throughout Colorado, helping homeowners build energy systems around their household needs and backup priorities.

Whether you’re installing solar and battery storage together or adding a Tesla Powerwall to an existing solar system, our Colorado solar and battery team can help determine the right solution for your home.

Frequently Asked Questions About Solar and Power Outages in Colorado