Security for Substations, Solar Fields and Battery Storage Sites
Armed patrols, perimeter checks and construction security for substations, solar fields and battery storage sites.
Energy sites are spread out, remote and full of copper. On October 29, 2025, three suspects stripped more than $100,000 in copper wire from a fenced solar field in Palmdale and damaged panels, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. In Ventura County, deputies arrested a man cutting copper from Southern California Edison poles near Fillmore after about 5,000 feet of cable had been taken from the area in recent months.
The threat is not only theft. On December 3, 2022, gunfire disabled two Duke Energy substations in Moore County, North Carolina, leaving about 45,000 customers without power and prompting an FBI reward of up to $25,000. Battery storage adds fire risk, as the January 2025 fire at the Moss Landing facility in Monterey County showed, with evacuation orders and a Highway 1 closure. Good programs combine perimeter checks, fast reporting and coverage during construction.
What we protect against
- Copper cable theft from solar arrays, combiner boxes and collection systems, often with panel damage
- Fence cutting and intrusion at remote substations and switchyards
- Gunfire or deliberate attacks on substation equipment, as in Moore County, North Carolina in 2022
- Theft of tools, wire spools and equipment from solar and BESS construction sites
- Copper theft from distribution poles and grounding conductors
- Trespass and vandalism that creates electrical and fire hazards
What we provide
- Overnight armed perimeter patrols of solar fields, substations and switchyards
- Fence line, gate and lock inspections with photo reports of cuts or damage
- Gate control and contractor badging at solar and BESS construction sites
- Laydown yard and conex protection for wire spools, tools and equipment
- Observation and immediate reporting of smoke, alarms or unusual conditions at battery storage sites
- Coordinated notification to police, utility control centers and site managers
- Daily activity reports and incident reports suitable for insurance and prosecution
Rules and requirements
- SB 699 (Chapter 550, Statutes of 2014) amended Public Utilities Code 364 to require the CPUC to open a proceeding by July 1, 2015 to consider rules addressing physical security risks to the distribution systems of electrical corporations. The CPUC opened rulemaking R.15-06-009 and adopted its physical security decision, D.19-01-018, in January 2019.
- California Penal Code 591 makes it a crime to unlawfully and maliciously damage, cut or remove electrical lines and connected equipment.
General information, not legal advice. Confirm requirements for your license and location.
Example program with more than one officer
For a utility scale solar or BESS project under construction, post an unarmed guard at the main gate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for contractor badging and deliveries. Overnight, replace fixed posts with an armed officer in a patrol vehicle running perimeter loops of the array and laydown yard, with photo logged checks of fence lines and conex boxes. For operating substations, use randomized armed patrol visits across several sites each night and add an off duty officer detail only after an intrusion or credible threat.
Questions we get
Do solar farms really get hit for copper?
Yes. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported that on October 29, 2025, thieves stole more than $100,000 in copper wire from a fenced solar field in Palmdale and damaged solar panels.
Should guards at substations be armed?
For remote sites with theft history or after a threat, armed patrol is often justified. For gate control on construction projects, unarmed guards are usually enough. We match coverage to the actual risk.
Can you cover several remote sites without a guard at each?
Yes. Randomized armed patrol across multiple sites, with GPS and photo verified checks, gives visible deterrence at a fraction of fixed post cost.
What happens if officers see someone inside the fence?
Officers do not enter energized areas. They observe from a safe position, document, call police and notify your control center.
Which officers fit
Most sites need one officer type. Larger sites and events sometimes use more than one.
Unarmed guards
Common
Unarmed guards fit gate control, contractor badging and fire watch style observation at construction sites and operating BESS facilities.
Armed guards
Primary
Armed officers fit overnight patrols of remote solar fields and substations where copper crews have hit or where a site has a history of intrusion.
Off duty police officers
Common
Off duty and retired officers fit high risk periods after an attack or repeat theft, and security assessments that need law enforcement perspective.
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Where we cover substations and solar farms
Not sure what you need? Call or text (909) 927-7001 and talk to the owner directly, or send us a few details.