NEW WORRIES ABOUT HUAWEI

A bipartisan group of senators on Friday sent a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) urging the agency to protect itself against threats created by using technology from Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei.

“As you know, the Intelligence Community has issued repeated warnings to regulators and political leaders about the dangers associated with using Huawei equipment on the nation’s telecommunications network,” the 10 lawmakers, lead by Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Angus King (I-Maine), wrote to FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee, who oversees the country’s electrical grid.

“Congress and the Trump Administration have taken steps to eliminate Huawei products from national security sensitive applications, citing concerns with the company’s links to the Chinese Communist party, including its intelligence services,” the letter continues.

Although the majority of Huawei’s market is in smartphones, the company also has branches focused on solar power development.

Huawei said in June that it would exit the U.S. solar market, but the senators, who also include Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Mark Warner (D-Va.), warned that FERC should not take the Chinese company’s word on the issue.

“While Huawei announced earlier this year that it intended to exit the U.S. solar market, there are no guarantees,” the senators wrote.