DMV LOCAL RECAP: Trump Declares Emergency Over U.S. Power Grid

President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency aimed at protecting the nation’s electric grid from potential security threats connected to certain foreign-made equipment.

Trump signed the executive order Wednesday, Aug. 26, saying the foreign supply of equipment used in the nation’s bulk-power system could pose an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to U.S. national security, foreign policy and the economy.

Under the order, the federal government can prohibit the acquisition, import, transfer or installation of certain foreign-produced electrical equipment when officials determine it poses an unacceptable security risk.

That could include equipment, software or technology that officials believe creates risks of sabotage, unauthorized access, malicious remote activity or disruptions to the nation’s electricity supply.

The order does not mean the federal government is taking control of the electricity flowing into Americans’ homes. It specifically targets the bulk-power system, including infrastructure such as high-voltage transmission systems, substations, transformers, generators and certain grid-connected battery systems. Local electricity distribution facilities are excluded.

The Trump administration says the issue has become more urgent as electricity demand grows from advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, data centers and defense production.

That part of the conversation is especially relevant in the DMV, where Northern Virginia is one of the nation’s biggest hubs for data centers. The industry’s massive electricity needs have fueled an ongoing regional debate about whether existing infrastructure can keep pace with future demand — and what that growth could eventually mean for reliability and consumers’ utility bills.

The executive order now directs the Department of Energy to identify potentially risky foreign equipment and develop regulations implementing the new restrictions.