Sunrun and Tesla batteries supply 580 MW to California grid

Sunrun and Tesla successfully deployed a large-scale virtual power plant (VPP) during a California heatwave on September 9, 2026. The initiative utilized more than 140,000 residential batteries to supply 580 MW to the electrical grid for a three-hour period.

The dispatch was triggered when wholesale electricity prices reached a specific threshold. This coordinated effort allowed the grid to draw power from distributed home storage systems rather than relying solely on conventional power stations during peak evening hours when solar generation decreases and air-conditioning demand rises.

Of the total power supplied, approximately 110,000 Tesla Powerwall batteries contributed 517 MW. Sunrun owned and operated 55% of those specific units, while an additional 30,000 batteries within Sunrun’s fleet provided 63 MW.