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Market Chatter: US Plans to Ban Import of Foreign-Made Power Inverters Over Security Risk

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The US government is drawing up a ban on imports of foreign-made inverters, equipment which makes it possible to feed solar power into the grid, amid concerns China could use them to remotely disrupt power supplies, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing five sources with knowledge of the plans.

The ban is being drafted by the US Federal Communications Commission and could be published as soon as this year, according to the sources who asked to remain anonymous, given the matter is not yet public.

The impetus was a ban by the European Commission on the use of Chinese inverters in publicly-funded energy projects, according to the sources, who said that the plan was not certain to be implemented or that it could be significantly altered.

The Chinese embassy in the US said the measure sought to unfairly discriminate against Chinese companies. Reuters reported last year that US experts found concealed communication devices in some Chinese inventors, during tear-down inspections of the equipment.

The Federal Communications Commission declined to comment when asked by by Reuters about the plans.has emailed the FCC seeking comment.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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