SunPower went bankrupt. Who covers your system now?

The old SunPower is not. It filed for bankruptcy on August 5, 2024, and its plan took effect that November. Today’s SunPower is Complete Solaria, which bought the name and key parts. It is a different company, and it did not take on old leases or older systems.

Several companies. Complete Solaria bought the SunPower name. It also bought Blue Raven Solar and the dealer network. SunStrong took over about 100,000 leases and the old app. Maxeon backs the SunPower-branded panels it made. A creditor trust handles claims against the old company.

If you paid cash, no company took over your system’s upkeep. If you have a SunPower loan or lease, check your latest statement, since SunStrong services many of those. Either way, part makers back their own parts, and a licensed local installer can do the labor.

Not the old install promises. The new SunPower’s boss told CBS News his company isn’t on the hook for older systems, though it is trying to help. Equipment makers still back their parts. The new SunPower’s warranty page lists five of them by name.

If your SunPower-branded panels were made by Maxeon, Maxeon backs them. It set up a SunPower warranty page for claims. If your panels came from another maker, like Waaree, that maker backs them. Check your contract or panel labels for the brand.

Most SunPower leases moved to SunStrong Management, which took over about 100,000 of them. Keep paying under your contract until you get written notice of a change. SunStrong said it would let some owners pause payments until a broken system works again. Call SunStrong with lease questions.

SunStrong Management took over the old SunPower app. Bloomberg Law reported that SunStrong charges a fee to monitor systems. Many SunPower systems use Enphase parts. So Enphase offered owners a kit to track their power. Save your data and logins now.

Usually, yes. A bankruptcy doesn’t cancel your lease or loan. For a lease, SunStrong is likely your servicer. For a loan, call your lender. Keep paying until you get written notice of a change, and check any new name with a number you trust.

SunPower’s plan took effect on November 14, 2024. A creditor trust now reviews claims and pays out what money there is. If you filed a claim, the trust handles it. In cases like this, Bloomberg Law found, customers usually get nothing back.

Hire a licensed local solar installer or electrician. Look up its license and complaint record, then get the price in writing. For a failed part, the equipment maker’s warranty may cover it. The installer may need to file the claim for you, so ask before they start.

SunPower said it faced a severe cash crisis. Demand for solar fell sharply, and it couldn’t raise new money. Before it filed, it defaulted on its debt, cut workers, restated earnings and replaced its CEO. In August 2024, it filed for bankruptcy in Delaware.

The signs came months early. In December 2023, SunPower defaulted on its debt and warned it might not survive. In July 2024, it told workers it would pause key operations. It filed for bankruptcy in August 2024, about eight months after the first warning.

Usually not without permission. If you lease, the system belongs to the lease owner, and SunStrong services it. Some local installers won’t touch leased panels for that reason. Ask for service through SunStrong’s portal first, and get written permission before anyone else works on it.

Many owners now use the SunStrong Connect app. It replaced the old SunPower app. If the app stops working, SunStrong lists an email for app help on its contact page. Your panels can keep making power even while the app is down.

SunStrong took over many SunPower loans and leases. A TV station in Charlotte found that SunStrong uses a company called Launch for some loan payments. Check your latest statement for the right payee before you pay. If a payment request looks odd, call SunStrong first.