For a PG&E household with a private well, a solar-plus-battery proposal should start with water as well as lights and refrigeration. A compatible backup system can support a well pump, but the design needs to account for the pump's electrical requirements and the rest of the equipment that delivers water to the house.
Here is how to prepare that discussion using utility and manufacturer information checked September 10, 2026.
Put the complete water system on the backup plan
PG&E's well-water preparedness fact sheet, dated May 23, 2025, warns that outages can interrupt access to well water. It recommends storing water ahead of interruptions. A battery is useful additional preparation; keep a separate stored-water plan for your household and animals.
Ask your well-service contractor to identify the pump, its controller, any booster pump and electrically powered treatment equipment. Give that information to the solar installer and request a diagram showing which components will receive backup power.
Confirm whether the well uses the same electrical service as the house. A battery connected to one service should not be assumed to support equipment on a separate meter. Have the project team document the actual connection and any additional work required.
Check starting demand as well as running demand
Bring the motor model, voltage, phase, controller model and available service records. Ask the installer to verify the battery inverter's ability to start and run that specific combination while other essential loads are operating.
Franklin Electric's current 60 Hz AIM manual illustrates why the details matter: its motor-specification tables list operating amps and watts separately from locked-rotor amps associated with starting. Values differ among motor types and configurations. This is a reference example, not a claim that your well contains Franklin equipment.
A battery's kilowatt-hour capacity describes stored energy; it does not, by itself, establish motor-starting capability. Request written compatibility confirmation using the proposed battery and your pump manufacturer's requirements. Leave electrical measurements and equipment changes to qualified professionals.
Estimate actual pumping time during the outage
Ask the well contractor how the pump cycles under your household's expected water use. Describe essential indoor use separately from irrigation or other water demand that could be deferred.
For a purely hypothetical example, a pump drawing 1.2 kW for a combined 40 minutes during an eight-hour outage would consume 0.8 kWh while running: 1.2 multiplied by 40/60. It would not consume eight hours of continuous pumping energy if it ran for only those 40 minutes.
That example is not a pump specification or battery-sizing recommendation. Starting capability, controls, conversion losses, battery reserve and all other household loads still need to be included. Actual pumping time must come from your system and water-use assumptions.
PG&E's battery guide explains that supported circuits, available energy and connected demand affect backup duration. Ask for an overnight scenario without solar recharge. Daytime replenishment requires usable sunlight and compatible backup equipment.
Make the well scope explicit in the PPA
A qualifying no-upfront solar-plus-battery PPA can help eligible homeowners access generation and storage while preserving cash. Confirm that the battery, backup controls and electrical work needed for the well are included, with any separate charges identified.
The provider owns the solar system, and you pay for its generated electricity. Review the rate, any escalator, term, battery ownership, maintenance and home-sale provisions using the CPUC's Solar Consumer Protection Guide. Ask who services the solar equipment and who remains responsible for the existing well and pump. Include ongoing PPA payments and remaining PG&E charges; no upfront purchase does not mean free electricity or guaranteed savings.
Read our PG&E battery planning guide, then explore the homeowner journey with your electricity bills and well-equipment records. A documented water-system scope makes the proposal more useful to your household.