- Suffolk County Council to switch off solar panels at 80 schools following three recent fires
- Photovoltaic systems installed between 2011 and 2016 are believed to be affected
- Regular maintenance of aging solar components is crucial
Suffolk County Council has ordered the precautionary closure of solar panels at around 80 schools after three separate fires were linked to those installations.
While the solar panels were not considered to be at fault, they were identified as a potential factor in all three cases, the council said.
The decision to close solar panels at all 80 schools affects photovoltaic systems installed between 2011 and 2016 under a scheme that was then county-wide, with engineers deployed to all sites to isolate the systems.
Precautionary measures
Suffolk City Council stressed that solar installations are not fully at fault until inspections are carried out, but that precautionary disconnections will be carried out in the meantime.
The most recent incident, which occurred at Sidegate Elementary School on June 24, implied that the fire may have started near the rooftop solar panels that were installed in 2012.
“While investigations are still at an early stage, initial discussions with Suffolk Fire and Rescue indicate that the fire may be related to solar panels installed on the roof of one of the school buildings,” the council wrote on June 25, 2026.
“We cannot take the risk of these incidents being unrelated or coincidental – we must act with caution to eliminate any potential fire risk,” Suffolk County Council Chief Executive of Children and Young People Sarah-Jane Smedmor wrote, emphasizing the safety of children, young people and staff within schools.
Engineers deployed to isolate the solar systems hope the temporary disconnections will have been carried out within two weeks while the council continues “further investigative work”, although a broader timeline and details of potential reconnections are unclear.
Safety Concerns for Aging Solar Infrastructure
The council’s decision reflects a growing concern that first-generation solar installations now use aging electrical components that could have faulty connectors, insulators and inverters, and the technology has dramatically developed and modernized in recent years as solar installations become more democratized and accessible to homeowners and commercial applications.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband plans to increase UK solar capacity from 18GW to 85GW by 2035.
It also underlines the importance of regular inspection and maintenance throughout the life of a PV system, which must be maintained like a gas boiler to ensure safety and optimal operating conditions.
However, the alarming news comes as the UK continues to expand solar deployment under government plans to reduce carbon emissions, with public sector buildings fitted with panels and homeowners eligible for grants to cut costs.
The incidents also occurred as the UK entered its second wave of the season, with predictions of a third on the horizon, raising concerns that these rollouts may not be suitable for higher temperatures.
Tony Slade, an energy expert cited by the bbcHe stressed that “this is not a renewable energy problem, but potentially one of specification, installation and maintenance of the electrical system.”
Previous reports of The times He even noted that even though firefighters will respond to a solar panel-related fire every other day in 2024, failures are more likely to be caused by inverters and problematic wiring than by excess heat in the panels themselves.
“Safe installation and maintenance of solar panels is essential to reducing fires,” QBE insurance risk engineer Adrian Simmonds wrote at the time.
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