Three members of the Louisiana Public Service Commission punt on protecting our power grid from foreign threats

Whose side are they on?

It would seem like common sense that foreign adversaries like China shouldn’t be allowed to embed malicious hardware in the supply chains of our nation’s critical infrastructure. Following revelations that Chinese-built electrical transformers installed in the U.S. grid may have the ability to be remotely-accessed and tampered with, new efforts nationwide are aimed at addressing this obvious threat.

Yet last month, Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta’s directive to protect Louisiana’s critical infrastructure from just this sort of foreign sabotage, was itself sabotaged.

Skrmetta’s straightforward proposal echoed Texas’s Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act of 2021, which prohibits Texas businesses and governments from contracting with entities owned or controlled by individuals from China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, if the contracting relates to “critical infrastructure” and provides the foreign party remote access or control of the “critical infrastructure”, defined as;  “communication infrastructure systems; cybersecurity systems; electric grid; hazardous waste treatment systems; and water treatment facilities.”

Skrmetta’s directive provided great detail as to the threat:

Directive to jurisdictional utilities regarding foreign produced devices.

There are reasonable concerns regarding security risks posed by foreign manufactured components included in all energy devices, including renewable energy devices, that can affect the control of distributable power. These devices can be a risk to our national security. The true danger can lay in the internet-based aspects of devices – which makes it an element of the global cyberspace – clearly making aspects prone to hacking, security breaches and the ability to be completely sabotaged at the discretion of unfriendly governments. These actions will restrain and reduce our vulnerabilities. Therefore:

I direct the jurisdictional electric utilities to cease purchasing, and including, any foreign produced devices in electric utilities from specified jurisdictions. Specifically, no equipment or device of any kind manufactured in the People’s Republic of China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation or the Islamic Republic of Iran shall be purchased, included or utilized by any electric utility, whether investor owned or member cooperative. This directive is effective immediately upon approval by the Commission.

Further, I direct all jurisdictional utilities to immediately cease contracting on issues relating to IT, or CIT, services of any kind, including through direct contractors, or subcontractors, with any company or governmental agency originating within the People’s Republic of China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation or the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Unfortunately, three members of the five-member commission apparently don’t consider protecting our power grid and critical infrastructure from Communist China a priority. When Commissioner Skrmetta put forward his directive, only Commissioner Mike Francis supported him.

Meanwhile commissioners Craig Greene, Davante Lewis and Foster L. Campbell all voted to allow components from Communist China, the Russian Federation, the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea and the Islamic Republic of Iran to be used in Louisiana’s critical infrastructure and power grid.

Davante Lewis’s vote is perhaps no surprise given his radical Leftist leanings and whose campaign was backed by environmentalist groups which are often anxious to push renewable power generation like solar, a market dominated by Chinese manufacturers.

Greene’s decision to keep the way clear for Chinese components is especially bewildering.

Ostensibly a Republican, Greene ought to know that demands for tough-on-China policies at the state level are currently sweeping through conservative grassroots like wildfire, on a wide variety of topics ranging from critical infrastructure protection to pension fund divestment to foreign agricultural land ownership. So unlike the Democrat commissioners, Greene’s constituents may actually have something to say about his decision to vote against the proposal.

Foster Campbell’s “no” vote is hardly a surprise but given that his district is home to Barksdale Air Force Base, it’s still disgraceful. Communities surrounding U.S. military bases are particularly at risk for Chinese sabotage, as reported by the Center for Security Policy’s Matthew Franklin and Tommy Waller in August, citing the New York Times:

The New York Times has reported the discovery of malicious Chinese malware embedded deep inside networks controlling “power grids, communications systems and water supplies that feed military bases in the United States and around the world.” This code could not only impact the infrastructure supporting the U.S. military, but officials believe the malware has the ability to adversely affect the civilian sector as well.

According to one congressional official, the computer code was in essence “a ticking time bomb” that could give the Chinese the ability to shut off critical infrastructures supporting military bases around the country, in areas such as electricity, water, and communications.

With vital military installations and commands in Louisiana such as Barksdale Air Force Base, Marine Forces Reserve, the 4^th Marine Division and the 4^th Marine Aircraft Wing, you would think that, in addition to wanting to safeguard critical infrastructure and our power grid for the citizens of Louisiana, the Louisiana Public Service Commission would want to protect these vital military entities as well.

Voters of Louisiana have a right to know which elected officials are responsible and which are irresponsible when it comes to protecting the state’s critical infrastructure. In this case there is a clear line between the two.