1. A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), the method comprises: selecting a first subset of storage units of a storage unit set for temporary deactivation based on a write threshold number; issuing a request message to the first subset of storage units to temporarily deactivate the selected first subset storage units as deactivated storage units; maintaining, while the first subset of storage units are deactivated, a write threshold number of encoded data slices for each set of encoded data slices of data in remaining storage units; detecting, as new data is stored to the remaining storage units, a storage imbalance between the remaining storage units and the deactivated storage units; selecting a second subset of storage units for temporary deactivation; issuing a request message to the deactivated storage units to reactivate the deactivated storage units as reactivated storage units; facilitating storage rebalancing by storing slices in the reactivated storage units; and issuing a request message to the second subset of storage units to temporarily deactivate the second subset of storage units.