Topline
The Department of Energy can use public trade data to find U.S. bulk-power system supply chain vulnerabilities before they become crises.
The U.S. bulk-power system depends on components sourced from foreign suppliers—and some of those supply chains show signs of vulnerability. To help identify where risks may be concentrated, RAND researchers analyzed U.S. import data from 2016 through 2025, developing screening indicators that flag components with shifting import patterns, price spikes, supply contraction, or heavy reliance on a single foreign source.
The authors respond to the Department of Energy’s September 2026 request for information on securing the U.S. bulk-power system. The screening indicators are designed to prioritize components that warrant closer attention, not to confirm that shortages exist.
Key Takeaways
Some bulk-power components rely heavily on a single foreign supplier.
Nuclear reactors, production well equipment, and hydraulic turbines each had a top supplier accounting for more than 95 percent of U.S. imports in 2025.
Several bulk-power system components show signs of supply chain risk.
Screening 2025 import data flagged turbines, steam generation systems, geothermal production well equipment, battery systems, and wind components (such as towers and generators) among generation equipment.
Transmission equipment faces similar vulnerabilities.
Conductors, reactive power compensation equipment, support structures, and large power transformers were among the flagged transmission components.
Publicly available trade data can be an effective screening tool.
The Department of Energy can use import data to identify components with concentrated foreign sourcing and shifting import patterns, then focus deeper investigation on flagged items.
Topics
Citation
RAND Style Manual
Arciniegas Rueda, Ismael E., Karishma V. Patel, Frank Andujar Lugo, and Jair Aguirre, Response to Request for Information on Securing the United States Bulk-Power System, RAND Corporation, PE-A5394-1, October 2026. As of October 22, 2026:
Chicago Manual of Style
Arciniegas Rueda, Ismael E., Karishma V. Patel, Frank Andujar Lugo, and Jair Aguirre, Response to Request for Information on Securing the United States Bulk-Power System. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2026. .
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