Abstract:
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday local time, declaring a national emergency on the grounds of cybersecurity and other security threats, aiming to strengthen the protection of the U.S. bulk power system and restrict the use of some foreign-made equipment, software and systems in the United States.
According to the executive order, any foreign-made equipment determined to pose a significant risk to U.S. national security will not be purchased, imported, transferred, or installed. The White House stated in a statement of facts that the new regulations in principle prohibit the purchase or deployment of foreign-made large-capacity power system equipment that may pose cybersecurity or operational risks, including critical software and digital capabilities that accompany it; the government may also attach conditions to some procurement and installation behaviors to control related risks.
The executive order, titled "Declaring a National Energy Emergency to Securing the United States' Bulk Electric Power System," lists malicious cyber activity as one of the main driving factors. The executive order pointed out that the United States previously had fewer restrictions on the purchase and operation of foreign-made large-capacity power equipment, making it easier for some foreign entities to create and exploit vulnerabilities in related equipment. For example, devices may be equipped with digital backdoors that allow foreign governments to remotely access and manipulate these systems.
This policy is seen as the U.S. government’s response to the possible risks of Chinese-made equipment in its energy infrastructure, and is also a continuation of the Trump administration’s recent measures to reduce the use of related foreign equipment. The report pointed out that China occupies a significant share of the solar supply chain production capacity and is an important player in the field of power transformer manufacturing.
The U.S. security department has repeatedly warned that critical infrastructure is at risk of cyberattacks. In 2024, then-FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before Congress that hackers may have pre-deployed attack capabilities in small office routers and home routers; once a conflict breaks out between China and the United States, the U.S. power grid may become one of its potential attack targets.
This is not the first time Trump has tried to restrict foreign-made high-capacity power equipment. Near the end of his first term, Trump signed an executive order seeking to limit the purchase of foreign-made bulk power system equipment. The Biden administration subsequently suspended the order, citing the need to reexamine the scope of the policy, and rescinded and replaced a related DOE directive. At that time, some utility companies stated that there were great difficulties in implementing the compliance requirements of the 2020 Executive Order.
According to the latest executive order, the U.S. Department of Energy must consult with other key government departments within 120 days to formulate specific implementation rules.
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