A newly issued executive order by President Donald Trump restricts foreign-made electrical infrastructure across the United States bulk-power system, taking direct aim at equipment connected to entities in 24 embargoed nations. The action targets high-voltage hardware including transformers, utility-scale inverters, circuit breakers, energy storage systems, and industrial control electronics, citing concerns over potential remote access, cyber vulnerabilities, and grid disruption.
While the executive order technically applies to transactions initiated after Aug. 26, 2026, Norton Rose Fulbright noted in its analysis that equipment is not formally barred until the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) evaluates specific vendors and issues official risk determinations.
The DOE has 120 days (until Dec. 24, 2026) to publish formal rules implementing the policy. However, the agency is instructed to make recommendations to the National Security Council to isolate, monitor, or replace sensitive infrastructure as soon as practicable.
According to law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, the executive action applies broadly to foreign-produced equipment used in substations, power generation facilities, and control rooms tied to the bulk-power system. While transmission lines rated at 69 kV or higher are explicitly included, the order also covers generation assets necessary to maintain overall power system reliability.
Specific hardware covered includes:
The order excludes residential or commercial distributed energy assets that connect solely to local low-voltage distribution lines.
Restrictions apply to equipment designed, manufactured, or supplied by vendors tied to 24 designated sanction- and arms-embargoed countries under U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
While the list includes nations such as Iran, Russia, and Syria, China represents the primary commercial supplier affected across solar, battery, and electrical component supply chains.
Norton Rose Fulbright noted that the DOE may establish a pre-qualified vendor white-list or create a licensing framework for utilities seeking to deploy sensitive components. Regulatory mechanisms could also force asset owners to isolate, monitor, or remove previously installed gear, though any mandate would likely be phased in to maintain grid stability.
According to Norton Rose Fulbright, the executive order adds another layer of regulatory complexity for clean energy developers already navigating Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) restrictions, domestic content rules, Section 45X manufacturing credits, and import tariffs.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected].
Comments
Please login to comment
Is the security risk real, or just Trump assaulting clean energy again to keep the fossil fuel riches flowing to his buddies and family?
Monday, October 26, 2026
10:30 am – 11:30 am CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Thursday, September 10, 2026
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
A two-day conference in Austin, Texas, bringing together leaders in US solar manufacturing, equipment specification, and factory execution.
Entries open in seven categories: Modules, Inverters, BoS, BESS, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Projects.
April 01 – August 31, 2026
Thursday, October 7, 2026
11:00 am – 12:30 pm CEST, Berlin, Paris, Madrid
pv magazine USA hosts its multi-day virtual event on U.S. solar and energy storage, covering domestic manufacturing, distributed energy and the growing role of solar-plus-storage in meeting AI-driven power demand.
You have no items in your basket.
