Officials are reportedly reassessing the risk posed by Chinese-made devices found in solar panels that are capable of damaging the energy infrastructure, destabilizing the power grid and triggering widespread blackouts.
Over the past nine months, “rogue communication devices” not listed in product documents were found in solar power inverters and batteries from several Chinese suppliers, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke with Reuters. The undocumented devices were found after U.S. experts disassembled the renewable energy equipment to check for security issues, prompting officials to review the potential dangers of the Chinese-made devices, according to the publication.
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The communication devices were reportedly found in power inverters, which are used to connect solar panels and wind turbines to the power grid and are often produced in China. They are also found in electric vehicle chargers, batteries and heat pumps. Undocumented cellular radios were also found in Chinese-manufactured batteries, according to the publication.
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“That effectively means there is a built-in way to physically destroy the grid,” one of the sources told the publication.
For years, energy and security experts have cautioned that reliance on Chinese products for green energy could expose the U.S. to espionage and security risks. (RELATED: Chinese Hackers Have Been Feasting On Key US Infrastructure On Biden’s Watch)
A spokesperson for the Department of Energy (DOE) told Reuters that it continually evaluates risks involving new technology and that “while this functionality may not have malicious intent, it is critical for those procuring to have a full understanding of the capabilities of the products received.”
“As more domestic manufacturing takes hold, DOE is working across the federal government to strengthen U.S. supply chains, providing additional opportunities to integrate trusted equipment into the power grid,” the spokesperson continued, noting that the department is working to address any missing disclosure information through
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“We oppose the generalisation [sic] of the concept of national security, distorting and smearing China’s infrastructure achievements,” a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington told Reuters.
Republican officials sent a letter advising an American energy company to stop using Chinese-manufactured batteries due to the security risks in December 2023, according to a February 2024 statement.
“We approached Duke Energy regarding its use of Chinese-manufactured CATL batteries and network-equipped systems, which posed an unacceptable surveillance risk at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina — the largest Marine Base in the United States.
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DOE, the Department of Homeland Security, the National Security Agency, the White House and the Chinese embassy did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for confirmation or comment.
* Original Article:
https://dailycaller.com/2025/05/14/rogue-devices-blackouts-reportedly-found-chinese-solar-panels/