Project 2025 Tracker / What’s done, what’s next

12. Department of Energy and Related Commissions · Notable

Ban Chinese-made components from the bulk power system

Attempted

402 12. Department of Energy and Related Commissions

“Strengthen security against cyber and physical threats. FERC and NERC need to enhance the security of the bulk power system by, for example, banning Chinese-made components, investing in transformers, and hardening substations and other critical infrastructure.”

What has happened

  1. Attempted

    EO 14421 declares a national emergency and prohibits acquisition, importation, transfer or installation of foreign-produced bulk-power system electric equipment where the Secretary of Energy determines a Covered Foreign Entity is involved and the transaction poses an undue risk. Still `attempted`: China is not named, no Covered Foreign Entity has been designated, no equipment has been identified and the implementing rules are due within 120 days of the order.

  2. Attempted

    FERC directed NERC to develop new or modified Reliability Standards addressing the sufficiency of supply chain risk management plans and supply chain protections for protected cyber assets, aimed at equipment and services from entities identified as risks to national security. A direction to a standards body, with the standards still to be written.

Research log

What was searched, and what didn’t count as evidence

Research notes

The Quote asks for a ban on Chinese-made components. EO 14421 supplies the machinery for one but does not itself ban anything: a Covered Foreign Entity is a country or person subject to a US arms embargo or sanctions regime under the ITAR, or one the Secretary determines is engaged in conduct detrimental to national security, and no determination has been published.

The order’s equipment definition is broad — transformers, inverters, battery energy storage, generation turbines, industrial control systems, protective relaying and their software, firmware and remote-access capability. See #944 and #948.

Action
restrict
Object
Chinese-made bulk power system components
ID
1025