469/69 Friday, August 28, 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order declaring a national emergency to protect the security of the country’s electric power infrastructure. The order aims to prohibit the use of certain foreign-made equipment, software, and related systems in the United States due to concerns over cybersecurity threats and national security. The measure represents a major effort to prevent risks that could affect the security of essential public utilities and the broader U.S. economy.
The order covers restrictions on the procurement, import, transfer, or installation of foreign electric power system equipment if it is assessed to pose significant risk. A key driver behind the measure is concern over malicious cyber activity. The White House stated that weak restrictions on the use of foreign equipment could allow foreign entities to create and exploit vulnerabilities, such as embedding covert access mechanisms or digital backdoors in systems to gain unauthorized access and control equipment. The measure also continues efforts to reduce reliance on equipment produced in China. According to data from the International Atomic Energy Agency, China accounts for 85% of the solar energy supply chain and is also a major manufacturer in the transformer industry. This aligns with a 2024 warning from the FBI director that hackers had compromised small routers in homes and offices to prepare infrastructure that could be used to attack the U.S. power grid in the event of international conflict.
To implement the order, the U.S. Department of Energy will spend the next 120 days drafting regulations in coordination with relevant agencies. Based on this case, organizations and administrators responsible for critical infrastructure should prioritize supply chain security. Initial recommendations include establishing strict processes to inspect and assess the risks of equipment, software, and industrial control systems procured from external parties. Organizations should also continuously monitor network traffic for anomalies to reduce the risk of attacks through vulnerabilities or unauthorized remote control. These measures can help strengthen preparedness and protect organizational infrastructure with a higher level of security.
Source: https://cyberscoop.com/energy-department-cybersecurity-executive-order-rules/