Energy Incident Register
Register / Solar PV / EIR-1445
← Back to the list
Solar PVUnited KingdomEIR-1445

Solar panel fires prompt shutdown at Suffolk schools

2026Published 28 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantThermal / fire
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
Figure hidden: shown to subscribersLow confidence
out of service for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
Where
Sidegate Primary School in Ipswich and two other Suffolk schools
Operator
Suffolk County Council
What
Fires at roof-mounted solar panels
Cause
No common fault confirmed; investigations ongoing
Outcome
Isolating solar systems at 80 schools as precaution

Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Suffolk County Council

What happened

Fires occurred at Sidegate Primary School in Ipswich and two other Suffolk schools where solar panels had been installed on roofs. Suffolk County Council is isolating and switching off solar panel systems at 80 schools as a precaution. The panels were installed between 2011 and 2016 under the council's Renewable Energy Scheme. Investigations by Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service are ongoing and no common fault has been confirmed across the incidents. Engineers will complete the isolations over the next two weeks without disrupting school operations.

Contributing factors

Solar panels identified as a potential factor in each fire. No conclusive link established between the incidents.

Lessons learned

  1. Roof-mounted solar panels can contribute to school fires, so operators should isolate similar systems from 2011 to 2016 until checked.
  2. Multiple roof fires at solar sites require county-wide isolation even without a confirmed common fault.

More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

  • Exact cause of each fire
  • Solar panel models and ages
  • Cost of isolations and any repairs

This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.

Source

suffolknews.co.uk

Other entries that name Suffolk

Published 2026-09-28. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

See the register's stories first in Google: add it as a preferred source.

Chart to reuse with this story: Solar PV incidents in the United Kingdom, by year, free with a credit (PNG).

Solar PV incidents in the United Kingdom: 97 entries, with a free alert for the next one.

Solar farm fires: the counts, the latest entries and a free alert for the next one. Also: rooftop solar fires.

Browse the full register or submit an incident.