President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency to ban the use of foreign equipment in the United States power grid.
An executive order issued on August 26 bans any future sale and installation of any foreign-made power systems, and calls on Energy Secretary Chris Wright to coordinate with other leaders to figure out whether certain equipment could pose a national security risk. That could include transformers, substations, batteries, generators, turbines and software.
In the order, Trump asserted that the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, data centers and advanced manufacturing has made the U.S. more dependent on reliable electricity than ever. Because of that, any successful attack on the country's power grid could have wide-ranging impacts on the economy, public safety, critical infrastructure and national defense.
The order could also force utilities to disconnect, replace or remove foreign-made equipment already operating in the U.S. power grid if officials determine that it poses a security risk. Before ordering any equipment to be removed or replaced, Wright must weigh the potential impacts on grid reliability, safety and the availability of secure alternatives.
