Huawei solar gear could threaten US grid, warn lawmakers Chinese group faces increasing scrutiny amid fears of spying or cyber attacks by Beijing
Huawei’s sales of solar equipment in the US threaten the entire American electricity grid, members of Congress have warned, in the latest rift between US politicians and the Chinese company.
Both Democrats and Republicans have said that Huawei solar equipment could be hacked to allow a third party to slow or even interrupt US electricity supplies.
Their warnings come just six weeks after Canadian officials arrested Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer and daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei, in Vancouver on US charges of breaking sanctions against Iran. The move has exacerbated trade tensions between Beijing and Washington.
Tom Marino, a Democratic representative from Pennsylvania, wrote to Rick Perry, US energy secretary, saying he was “concerned that the company’s entrance into large-scale and residential solar markets may pose a threat to our nation’s infrastructure”.
Bob Latta, a Republican member of the House committee on energy and commerce, said: “Ensuring our energy infrastructure is safe, secure, and resilient is an issue of critical importance. With documented efforts by state actors to hack our energy infrastructure, it’s essential that we are more vigilant than ever about the technology we use.”
Jerry Mcnerney, a Democratic representative from California, said: “If we are using equipment that is made by less than trustworthy suppliers, we are setting ourselves up. US intelligence agencies have warned American businesses that Huawei is not to be trusted, so we need to take that seriously.”
Mr Mcnerney called on the Trump administration to compel Huawei to reveal exactly what is in the solar equipment it sells in the US.
Their move further increases the heat on Huawei, which has long been viewed with suspicion by US policymakers. Members of Congress and officials within the Trump administration have expressed concern that the company’s technology could be used by the Chinese government for spying or cyber attacks.