• The Trump administration is drafting a proposal to ban foreign solar inverters over concerns China could use them to disrupt U.S. power supplies.
  • The Federal Communications Commission rule could target new foreign inverter models and may be published this year.
  • The move follows similar European action and reflects growing U.S.-EU concern over Chinese technology in critical energy infrastructure.

Grid Security Concerns Drive Potential Restrictions

The Trump administration is drafting a ban on foreign solar inverters, citing fears that China could weaponize the devices to disrupt U.S. power supplies, according to people familiar with the matter. The proposal, which could be published by the Federal Communications Commission later this year, would target new models of inverters manufactured by foreign entities of concern, or FEOCs, a category that includes Chinese state-linked firms.

The potential restrictions are the latest sign of intensifying U.S.-EU scrutiny of Chinese technology embedded in critical energy infrastructure. The European Union has already moved to block funding for projects using Chinese-made inverters, and U.S. lawmakers, particularly Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, have been pressing the Commerce Department to curb imports.

“We’re seeing a convergence of policy approaches across the Atlantic,” said one industry analyst. “The concern is that these devices could be used as a backdoor into the grid.”

Economic and Supply Chain Fallout

If enacted, the rule would ban the use of new foreign inverter models in projects that receive federal tax incentives or public funding, forcing developers to pivot to domestically produced or allied-supply-chain equipment. Solar developers and utilities could face higher costs and project delays as they scramble to secure compliant inverters, potentially slowing the pace of U.S. clean-energy deployment.

The move is part of a broader push to safeguard grid resilience and reduce reliance on adversarial supply chains. The White House has framed it as a national-security imperative, while critics warn it could increase costs for ratepayers and undermine President Donald Trump’s energy-dominance agenda.

“Without a deal, developers would be forced to either pay a premium for alternative suppliers or push back timelines,” said a project finance lawyer who advises solar firms.

Political and Industry Reactions

The proposal has drawn mixed reactions. Republican lawmakers have praised the effort, with a recent letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick urging immediate action to block Chinese inverter imports. The Solar Energy Industries Association, however, has cautioned against a broad ban that could disrupt supply chains without corresponding domestic manufacturing capacity.

The FCC did not respond to requests for comment on the timeline or scope of the draft rule.

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the agency responsible for the rule. The proposal is being drafted by the Federal Communications Commission, not the Commerce Department.