Trump signs executive order targeting foreign equipment risks in US energy grid

President Trump signed an executive order on August 26 declaring a national emergency to shield the US bulk-power system from foreign-produced electrical equipment. The order targets transformers, generators, inverters, and associated software that could harbor hidden communication devices or unauthorized remote access pathways. What the order actually does Despite the sweeping language, this isn’t a blanket ban on every foreign-made component touching the American grid. The executive order focuses on risk-based assessments of equipment used in the bulk-power system, meaning the large-scale generation and transmission infrastructure that moves electricity across states and regions. Local distribution networks, the last-mile wires that carry power to your house, are not covered. The Department of Energy has 120 days to issue implementing regulations. The Secretary of Energy will have authority to evaluate existing at-risk equipment and order mitigation measures, which could range from software patches to full physical replacement of compromised hardware. The order describes the foreign threat as “unusual and extraordinary,” the legal language required to invoke emergency powers. Tha...