Executive order targets foreign bulk-power equipment risk

Troutman Pepper Locke published an alert explaining Executive Order 14420 and its implications for bulk-power system equipment. It is an analysis of a new federal action, not a transcript or opinion piece alone.

• President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14420 on August 26, 2026, directing DOE to issue implementing regulations within 120 days and to update the FAR to prioritize U.S.-manufactured energy infrastructure in federal procurement.
• The order may prohibit acquisitions, imports, transfers, or installations of foreign-produced bulk-power system equipment linked to Covered Foreign Entities, including China, and may reach existing equipment through disconnection or removal requirements.
• The article says the order covers 69 kV and above infrastructure, including transformers, generators, inverters, BESS, software, firmware, and remote-access capabilities; it also highlights a retroactive risk, contract review needs, and a rulemaking window before transactions are formally blocked.