Solar panels shut down at 80 Suffolk schools after three fires

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Suffolk County Council to disconnect solar panels at 80 schools following three recent fires

PV systems installed between 2011 and 2016 believed to be impacted

Regular maintenance of aging solar components is crucial

Suffolk County Council has ordered the precautionary shutdown of solar panels at around 80 schools after three separate fires were tied to such installations.

While the solar panels have not been deemed at fault, they were identified as a potential factor in the three instances, the Council said.

The decision to shut down solar panels across the 80 schools affects PV systems installed between 2011 and 2016 under a then county-wide scheme, with engineers being deployed across all sites to isolate the systems.

Precautionary measures

Suffolk council stressed the solar installations aren’t entirely to blame until inspections are carried out, but that precautionary disconnections would be carried out in the meantime.

The most recent incident, which occurred at Sidegate Primary School on June 24, implied the fire might have started near rooftop solar panels that were installed in 2012.

“While investigations remain at an early stage, initial discussions with Suffolk Fire and Rescue indicate that the fire may be linked 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 that those incidents were unrelated or coincidental – we must act with precaution to eliminate any potential fire risks,” Suffolk County Council Executive Director of Children and Young People Sarah-Jane Smedmor wrote, stressing the safety of children, young people and staff within the schools.

Engineers deployed to isolate the solar systems expect the temporary disconnections to have been carried out within two weeks while the council continues “further investigation work,” though a broader timeline and details of potential reconnections are unclear.

Ageing solar infrastructure safety concerns

The council’s decision reflects a growing concern that early-generation solar installations now use ageing electrical components that could have faults across connectors, isolators and inverters, with the technology having been developed and modernized drastically in recent years as solar installations become more democratized and accessible to homeowners and commercial applications.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband plans to increase the UK’s solar capacity from 18GW to 85GW by 2035.

It also underscores the importance of regular inspection and maintenance throughout the lifetime of a PV system, which should be serviced just like a gas boiler to ensure safety and optimal running 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 being fitted out with panels and homeowners eligible for cost-reducing grants.

The incidents also happened as the UK entered its second headwave of the season, with predictions of a third on the horizon, raising concerns that these deployments may not be suitable for higher temperatures.

Tony Slade, an energy expert cited by the BBC , stressed that “this is not a renewable energy problem, but potentially one of electrical system specification, installation and maintenance.”

Earlier reporting by The Times even noted that, despite firefighters responding to a solar panel-related fire every two days in 2024, faults are more likely to be caused by inverters and problematic wiring rather than excess heat on the panels themselves.

“Safe solar panel installation and maintenance are essential to reducing fires,” QBE Insurance Risk Engineer Adrian Simmonds then wrote.