More than 275,000 South Australian house-holds with solar panels face the prospect of the government being able to compulsorily switch-off their systems, according to a statement by Shadow Minister for Energy Tom Koutsantonis.

"In a major shock to the one-in-three house-holds with solar panels in South Australia, the Marshall Liberal Govern-ment is implementing new powers which will permit panels to be switched off during times of excess energy production.

"Rather than switching off solar panels during times of excess energy production, the government could store that energy in batteries or pumped hydro or hydrogen or the energy could be purposed for heavy industries.

"There is also signi-ficant levels of solar energy in the business sector – with a quarter of large businesses in SA estimated to have solar panels, as well as one-in-ten small businesses.

"Recent revelations follow news South Australians are being hit with a $90 million power bill shock, after the Marshall Liberal Government refused to turn on the state-owned generators during a failure of the privatised electricity system.

"The Government is still pressing ahead with the privatisation of our state-owned generators" the statement concludes.