Interim Charge: Protecting Texas Critical Infrastructure from Foreign Adversaries
The Texas House Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans’ Affairs met on July 30, 2026, to hear testimony on three interim charges, including Protecting Texas Critical Infrastructure From Foreign Adversaries.
As an invited witness, APA Vice President Judd Messer emphasized that effective cybersecurity policy should be risk-based, prioritizing the most consequential vulnerabilities rather than treating every component of the energy system as presenting the same level of risk. He also cautioned that broad prohibitions on existing equipment could simply replace one grid risk with another while doing little to address today’s most significant cybersecurity threats.
“Strong cybersecurity and supply chain policy begins by identifying where the greatest vulnerabilities exist and addressing those first. […] By contrast, an outright ban on existing and future non-U.S. components, for example, would create immediate reliability and resource adequacy challenges, increase electricity costs, and weaken our ability to compete in the global race to build the energy infrastructure needed to power the next generation of industry and economic growth,” said Messer.
A written copy of Messer’s testimony can be found here, and video of the testimony can be viewed below.
APA remains committed to working proactively with policymakers, industry partners, and security experts to strengthen the resilience of Texas’ electric grid through practical, risk-based cybersecurity and supply chain policies that protect both national security and electric reliability.