China Inverters' 'Unknown Communication Devices' Prompt U.S. Ban Plan to Prevent Grid Risks

The Trump administration is reportedly preparing a ban on imported Chinese inverters, citing concerns that the devices could be exploited to disrupt the U.S. power grid. Inverters are crucial components that connect solar power projects and batteries to the electricity grid. According to five people familiar with the matter, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is drafting the restriction, which would target new foreign models and could be announced as early as this year.

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Reliance on Chinese inverters puts our entire grid at risk... I fully support any effort to ban these dangerous products.

The U.S. move is partly influenced by the European Union's recent decision to prohibit Chinese-made inverters from being used in energy projects supported by public funds. While the proposal remains subject to change or even complete withdrawal, both the FCC and the White House declined to comment on the draft. Republican Senator Tom Cotton publicly supported the potential ban, stating that reliance on Chinese inverters puts the entire grid at risk and endorsing any effort to prohibit these "dangerous products."

China, the world's largest inverter manufacturer, with companies like Sungrow Power Supply and Huawei leading the market, has expanded its share in Western markets through low-cost offerings. Concerns were amplified last year when U.S. experts discovered "communication devices" not listed in product documentation within some Chinese solar inverters during safety inspections of grid-connected equipment. Uri Sadot, CEO of energy security firm SolarDefend, noted that Europe and the U.S. are beginning to recognize the risk of losing sovereign control over their power systems through inverters.

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Europe and the United States are beginning to realize the risk of losing sovereign control over their own power systems through inverters.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington expressed firm opposition to the "generalized national security concept" and the "baseless suppression" of Chinese companies, urging the U.S. to provide a "fair, just, and non-discriminatory environment." The EU is also considering strengthening inverter security regulations, potentially blacklisting certain Chinese suppliers as part of an update to its Cybersecurity Law.

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China firmly opposes the generalization of the national security concept and the baseless suppression of Chinese companies.