President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday that restricts the use of certain foreign-produced equipment on the U.S. electricity grid, the White House announced.
The order formally declares a national emergency concerning what the administration described as "the unusual and extraordinary foreign threat" posed by some bulk-power systems manufactured abroad. That language frames the administration's view that certain foreign-produced grid equipment could introduce national security vulnerabilities.
The directive bars the purchase or installation in the United States of specified foreign-produced bulk-power system electric equipment. It also covers associated critical software and digital capabilities tied to that equipment - categories the White House said could introduce cybersecurity or operational risks to U.S. power infrastructure.
In addition to the prohibitions, the order instructs the U.S. Energy Secretary to impose conditions on the continued operation and use of such equipment already in service. The administration said those conditions should address concerns it has identified about the equipment's security implications.
Context and implications
The order targets a narrow set of bulk-power system electric components and their related software, according to the White House statement. It is intended to prevent procurement and installation of items judged to present cybersecurity or operational vulnerabilities, and to give the Energy Secretary authority to regulate the future use of qualifying equipment.
The measure does not provide additional specifics about which manufacturers, models or countries are covered, nor does it detail the timeline or technical criteria the Energy Department will use to implement the conditions requested by the president. The White House statement emphasized the potential risks tied to certain foreign-produced hardware and software without listing further particulars.
The administration's order establishes a federal prohibition on certain foreign-made grid components and asks the Energy Department to define and enforce conditions for continued operation of such equipment already in place.