A new legislative push on Capitol Hill is looking to block Chinese-made energy storage tech from entering the American market, citing growing fears over the vulnerability of the nation’s electrical infrastructure.
Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) officially introduced the “Countering Harmful Adversarial Rechargeable and Generative Energy Act,” or the CHARGE Act, on Friday. The bill specifically targets batteries and storage systems equipped with remote monitoring capabilities that are manufactured or licensed by Chinese entities.
The move follows a 2025 annual report from the U.S.–China Economic and Security Review Commission, which raised alarms about the potential for foreign interference in domestic energy consumption.
According to the text of the bill, these remote monitoring features—intended to track performance and data—could serve as a “backdoor” for the Chinese Communist Party to observe or even disrupt the U.S. power grid. Steube argued that the legislation is a necessary step to safeguard national security against what he described as a rapidly expanding surveillance state.
If passed, the CHARGE Act would set a strict clock for enforcement. Within 60 days of enactment, U.S. Customs and Border Protection would be required to roll out regulations to identify and stop these products at the border.
The penalties for those who knowingly bypass the ban are significant, including potential fines of up to $250,000 per shipment and up to five years in prison. The bill defines energy storage systems broadly, covering any device or module capable of storing and discharging electric current.
Beyond the immediate ban, the legislation mandates a heavy layer of federal oversight. The Secretary of Commerce, working alongside the Departments of Energy and Homeland Security, would be required to submit annual reports to Congress detailing the prevalence of Chinese-developed energy tech already present in the United States. These reports, which may include classified findings, would continue for six years to ensure the government has a clear picture of potential risks within the grid.
While the bill focuses heavily on security, it also highlights the increasing complexity of the global supply chain. Many modern energy systems rely on integrated software for efficiency, but the CHARGE Act reflects a growing consensus in Washington that certain technological dependencies may carry too high a price.
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