A Texas activist who has become a leading critic of Chinese-linked energy technology urged Fannin County officials this week to immediately enjoin construction on a battery energy storage facility, citing a new investigation that the Texas Attorney General claims involves components tied to the Chinese Communist Party.
Nancy White, president of the Legislative Energy Action Foundation, told The Dallas Express in an email interview that Attorney General Ken Paxton’s November 24 investigation into Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) raises direct implications for the ENGIE-owned battery facility under development near Savoy.
Paxton claimed a press release that Texas “must not allow foreign communists to infiltrate, interfere, or otherwise undermine our power grid,” and said CATL components under review “could be violating state law.”
White said she addressed the Fannin County Commissioners Court on Tuesday morning to argue that the project should be stopped based on what she described as newly relevant national security risks.
“The AG’s press release specifically mentions CATL as the point of investigation,” White told DX.
“I have evidence that the investigation is specifically in reference to CATL in a battery build due to the fact that the investigation was started due to my submission on the issue to the AG office. Additionally there is evidence/ proof of CATL being in the Engie build in Fannin County,” stated White.
A spokesman for ENGIE told DX via email, “ENGIE fully complies with all applicable laws and regulations regarding our operations. We have not received any notice from state regulators on this matter. We are in direct communication with officials within the counties in which we operate, and remain available to provide documentation or briefings to them, as needed.”
The company website indicates that ENGIE is “among the largest operators of BESS in the country.”
White, who has presented at public meetings across North and East Texas, has warned for over a year that Chinese-made components could create cybersecurity or grid-level vulnerabilities. Her assertions echo themes of her November 13 white paper, which argues that companies such as CATL have “documented ties” to Chinese military-civil fusion programs and should be barred from accessing or servicing U.S. infrastructure.
In Fannin County, White said the risks would begin “at the moment of interconnection,” alleging possible exposure to fires, cyber manipulation, and broader systemic impacts.
“To allow them into our critical infrastructure, the grid, the issue exasperates because they can potentially impact the substation and more,” she said. “They, the CCP, are then potentially given direct control over our lights.”
White provided two documents she claims show CATL material in the Savoy project. The Dallas Express reached out to ENGIE separately to verify these documents independently, but the company did not immediately respond.
White’s warnings come as Texas officials have increasingly scrutinized Chinese-origin technology.
Paxton has previously alleged that CCP-linked companies have violated privacy laws or created security risks in Texas, including investigations into AI services, networking equipment, and consumer cameras. The Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act, which took effect in September 2025, restricts certain foreign-controlled entities from having direct or remote access to critical infrastructure.
White said that while Fannin County is small, its decisions fit into a statewide pattern she sees in rural communities where commercial energy projects intersect with supply chains dominated by foreign manufacturers — “A piece that an enemy of America can and will exploit, if you allow it,” she said. “There are things that can be done to stop this NOW and they absolutely must take action.”
Local activism over the Savoy project first escalated earlier this year, as residents raised concerns about lithium-ion battery fires, emergency response limitations, and environmental threats. Several local officials have supported additional scrutiny or new regulatory standards, DX reported.
White said she expects the commissioners and residents to leave with a sense of urgency.
“The most important takeaway is that while you may just be one county, you are a piece of the puzzle,” she said. “Harm to their citizens. Harm to Texans. Harm to America.”
Fannin County Judge Newt Cunningham told DX via telephone, “I’m very much concerned about public safety.”
He added that Paxton’s investigation was a “ray of light” and that he had not heard “directly” from ENGIE’s representatives. He also indicated that he was not prepared to issue a longer statement at this time.
CATL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.