Energy Conservation Program for Commercial Equipment: Distribution Transformers Energy Conservation Standards; Final Rule, 58190-58241 [E7-19582]
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 431
[Docket Number: EE–RM/STD–00–550]
RIN 1904–AB08
Energy Conservation Program for
Commercial Equipment: Distribution
Transformers Energy Conservation
Standards; Final Rule
Department of Energy.
Final rule.
AGENCY:
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Department of Energy
(DOE) has determined that energy
conservation standards for liquidimmersed and medium-voltage, drytype distribution transformers will
result in significant conservation of
energy, are technologically feasible, and
are economically justified. On this basis,
DOE is today adopting energy
conservation standards for liquidimmersed and medium-voltage, drytype distribution transformers. Today’s
rule does not set energy conservation
standards for underground mining
distribution transformers.
DATES: Effective Date: The effective date
of this rule is November 13, 2007.
Standards for liquid-immersed and
medium-voltage, dry-type distribution
transformers will be applicable starting
January 1, 2010.
ADDRESSES: For access to the docket to
read background documents, the
technical support document (TSD),
transcripts of the public meetings in this
proceeding, or comments received, visit
the U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal
Building, Room 1J–018 (Resource Room
of the Building Technologies Program),
1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC, (202) 586–2945,
between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Please call Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones at
the above telephone number for
additional information regarding
visiting the Resource Room. Please note:
DOE’s Freedom of Information Reading
Room (formerly Room 1E–190 at the
Forrestal Building) no longer houses
rulemaking materials. You may also
obtain copies of certain previous
rulemaking documents from this
proceeding (i.e., Framework Document,
advance notice of proposed rulemaking
(ANOPR), notice of proposed
rulemaking (NOPR or proposed rule)),
draft analyses, public meeting materials,
and related test procedure documents
from the Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy’s Web site at https://
www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/commercial/
distribution_transformers.html.
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Antonio Bouza, Project Manager, Energy
Conservation Standards for Distribution
Transformers, Docket No. EE–RM/STD–
00–550, U.S. Department of Energy,
Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy, Building Technologies Program,
EE–2J, 1000 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20585–0121, (202)
586–4563, e-mail:
Antonio.Bouza@ee.doe.gov.
Francine Pinto, Esq., U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of General Counsel,
GC–72, 1000 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20585–0121, (202)
586–7432, e-mail:
Francine.Pinto@hq.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Summary of the Final Rule and Its Benefits
A. The Standard Levels
B. Distribution Transformer Characteristics
C. Benefits to Transformer Customers
D. Impact on Manufacturers
E. National Benefits
F. Conclusion
II. Introduction
A. Authority
B. Background
1. Current Standards
2. History of Standards Rulemaking for
Distribution Transformers
III. General Discussion
A. Test Procedures
B. Technological Feasibility
1. General
2. Maximum Technologically Feasible
Levels
C. Energy Savings
D. Economic Justification
1. Economic Impact on Commercial
Consumers and Manufacturers
2. Life-Cycle Costs
3. Energy Savings
4. Lessening of Utility or Performance of
Equipment
5. Impact of Any Lessening of Competition
6. Need of the Nation To Conserve Energy
7. Other Factors
IV. Methodology and Discussion of
Comments on Methodology
A. Market and Technology Assessment
1. General
2. Mining Transformers
a. Comments Requesting Exemption
b. Mining Transformer Test Procedure
Comments
3. Less-Flammable, Liquid-Immersed
Transformers
4. Rebuilt or Refurbished Distribution
Transformers
5. Uninterruptible Power System
Transformers
B. Engineering Analysis
C. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period
Analysis
1. Inputs Affecting Installed Cost
a. Installation Costs
b. Baseline and Standard Design Selection
2. Inputs Affecting Operating Costs
a. Transformer Loading
b. Load Growth
c. Electricity Costs
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d. Electricity Price Trends
e. Natural Gas Price Impacts
3. Inputs Affecting Present Value of
Annual Operating Cost Savings
a. Standards Implementation Date
b. Discount Rate
c. Temperature Rise, Reliability, and
Lifetime
D. National Impact Analysis—National
Energy Savings and Net Present Value
Analysis
1. Discount Rate
a. Selection and Estimation Method
b. Discounting Energy and Emissions
E. Commercial Consumer Subgroup
Analysis
F. Manufacturer Impact Analysis
G. Employment Impact Analysis
H. Utility Impact Analysis
I. Environmental Analysis
V. Discussion of Other Comments
A. Information and Assumptions Used in
Analyses
1. Engineering Analysis
a. Primary Voltage Sensitivities
b. Increased Raw Material Prices
c. Amorphous Material Price
d. Material Availability
2. Shipments/National Energy Savings
3. Manufacturer Impact Analysis
B. Weighing of Factors
1. Economic Impacts
a. Economic Impacts on Consumers
b. Economic Impacts on Manufacturers
2. Life-Cycle Costs
3. Energy Savings
4. Lessening of Utility or Performance of
Products
a. Transformers Installed in Vaults
5. Impact of Lessening of Competition
6. Need of the Nation To Conserve Energy
7. Other Factors
a. Availability of High Primary Voltages
b. Materials Price Sensitivity Analysis
c. Materials Availability Analysis
d. Consistency Between Single-Phase and
Three-Phase Designs
C. Other Comments
1. Development of Trial Standard Levels
for the Final Rule
2. Linear Interpolation of Non-Standard
Capacity Ratings
VI. Analytical Results and Conclusions
A. Trial Standard Levels
B. Significance of Energy Savings
C. Economic Justification
1. Economic Impact on Commercial
Consumers
a. Life-Cycle Costs and Payback Period
b. Commercial Consumer Subgroup
Analysis
2. Economic Impact on Manufacturers
a. Industry Cash-Flow Analysis Results
b. Impacts on Employment
c. Impacts on Manufacturing Capacity
d. Impacts on Manufacturers That Are
Small Businesses
3. National Net Present Value and Net
National Employment
4. Impact on Utility or Performance of
Equipment
5. Impact of Any Lessening of Competition
6. Need of the Nation To Conserve Energy
7. Other Factors
D. Conclusion
1. Results for Liquid-Immersed
Distribution Transformers
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a. Liquid-Immersed Transformers—Trial
Standard Level 6
b. Liquid-Immersed Transformers—Trial
Standard Level 5
c. Liquid-Immersed Transformers—Trial
Standard Level A
d. Liquid-Immersed Transformers—Trial
Standard Level 4
e. Liquid-Immersed Transformers—Trial
Standard Level 3
f. Liquid-Immersed Transformers—Trial
Standard Level B
g. Liquid-Immersed Transformers—Trial
Standard Level C
2. Results for Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type
Distribution Transformers
a. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type
Transformers—Trial Standard Level 6
b. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type
Transformers—Trial Standard Level 5
c. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type
Transformers—Trial Standard Level 4
d. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type
Transformers—Trial Standard Level 3
e. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type
Transformers—Trial Standard Level 2
VII. Procedural Issues and Regulatory Review
A. Review Under Executive Order 12866
B. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility
Act/Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
C. Review Under the Paperwork Reduction
Act
D. Review Under the National
Environmental Policy Act
E. Review Under Executive Order 13132
F. Review Under Executive Order 12988
G. Review Under the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act of 1995
H. Review Under the Treasury and General
Government Appropriations Act, 1999
I. Review Under Executive Order 12630
J. Review Under the Treasury and General
Government Appropriations Act, 2001
K. Review Under Executive Order 13211
L. Review Under Section 32 of the Federal
Energy Administration Act of 1974
M. Review Under the Information Quality
Bulletin for Peer Review
N. Congressional Notification
VIII. Approval of the Office of the Secretary
I. Summary of the Final Rule and Its
Benefits
A. The Standard Levels
The Energy Policy and Conservation
Act (EPCA), as amended, directs the
Department of Energy (DOE) to adopt
energy conservation standards for those
distribution transformers for which
standards would be technologically
feasible and economically justified, and
would result in significant energy
savings. (42 U.S.C. 6317(a)(2)) The
standards in today’s final rule, which
apply to liquid-immersed and mediumvoltage, dry-type distribution
transformers, satisfy these requirements
and will achieve the maximum
improvements in energy efficiency that
are technologically feasible and
economically justified. In the advance
notice of proposed rulemaking (ANOPR)
in this proceeding, DOE had also
addressed standards for low-voltage,
dry-type distribution transformers. 69
FR 45376 (July 29, 2004). However, the
Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law
109–58, (EPACT 2005) amended EPCA
to establish energy conservation
standards for those transformers.
(EPACT 2005, Section 135(c); 42 U.S.C.
6295(y)) Therefore, DOE removed lowvoltage, dry-type distribution
transformers from the scope of this
rulemaking.
The standards established in this final
rule are minimum efficiency levels.
Tables I.1 and I.2 show the standard
levels DOE is adopting today. These
standards will apply to liquid-immersed
and medium-voltage, dry-type
distribution transformers manufactured
for sale in the United States, or
imported to the United States, on or
after January 1, 2010. As discussed in
section V.C.2 of this notice, any
transformers whose kVA1 rating falls
between the kVA ratings shown in
tables I.1 and I.2 shall have its
minimum efficiency requirement
calculated by a linear interpolation of
the minimum efficiency requirements of
the kVA ratings immediately above and
below that rating.
TABLE I.1.—STANDARD LEVELS FOR LIQUID-IMMERSED DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS, TABULAR FORM
Single-phase
Three-phase
Efficiency
(%)
kVA
10 ......................................................................................
15 ......................................................................................
25 ......................................................................................
37.5 ...................................................................................
50 ......................................................................................
75 ......................................................................................
100 ....................................................................................
167 ....................................................................................
250 ....................................................................................
333 ....................................................................................
500 ....................................................................................
667 ....................................................................................
833 ....................................................................................
98.62
98.76
98.91
99.01
99.08
99.17
99.23
99.25
99.32
99.36
99.42
99.46
99.49
Efficiency
(%)
kVA
15 .....................................................................................
30 .....................................................................................
45 .....................................................................................
75 .....................................................................................
112.5 ................................................................................
150 ...................................................................................
225 ...................................................................................
300 ...................................................................................
500 ...................................................................................
750 ...................................................................................
1000 .................................................................................
1500 .................................................................................
2000 .................................................................................
2500 .................................................................................
98.36
98.62
98.76
98.91
99.01
99.08
99.17
99.23
99.25
99.32
99.36
99.42
99.46
99.49
Note: All efficiency values are at 50 percent of nameplate-rated load, determined according to the DOE test procedure. 10 CFR Part 431, Subpart K, Appendix A.
TABLE I.2.—STANDARD LEVELS FOR MEDIUM-VOLTAGE, DRY-TYPE DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS, TABULAR FORM
Single-phase
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BIL
kVA
15 ......................................
25 ......................................
20–45 kV
efficiency
(%)
98.10
98.33
1 kVA is an abbreviation for kilovolt-ampere,
which is a capacity metric used by industry to
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Three-phase
46–95 kV
efficiency
(%)
97.86
98.12
≥96 kV
efficiency
(%)
BIL
kVA
....................
....................
15 .....................................
30 .....................................
classify transformers. A transformer’s kVA rating
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20–45 kV
efficiency
(%)
97.50
97.90
46–95 kV
efficiency
(%)
97.18
97.63
≥96 kV
efficiency
(%)
....................
....................
represents its output power when it is fully loaded
(i.e., 100%).
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TABLE I.2.—STANDARD LEVELS FOR MEDIUM-VOLTAGE, DRY-TYPE DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS, TABULAR FORM—
Continued
Single-phase
BIL
kVA
20–45 kV
efficiency
(%)
37.5 ...................................
50 ......................................
75 ......................................
100 ....................................
167 ....................................
250 ....................................
333 ....................................
500 ....................................
667 ....................................
833 ....................................
Three-phase
46–95 kV
efficiency
(%)
98.49
98.60
98.73
98.82
98.96
99.07
99.14
99.22
99.27
99.31
98.30
98.42
98.57
98.67
98.83
98.95
99.03
99.12
99.18
99.23
≥96 kV
efficiency
(%)
....................
....................
98.53
98.63
98.80
98.91
98.99
99.09
99.15
99.20
20–45 kV
efficiency
(%)
BIL
kVA
45 .....................................
75 .....................................
112.5 ................................
150 ...................................
225 ...................................
300 ...................................
500 ...................................
750 ...................................
1000 .................................
1500 .................................
2000 .................................
2500 .................................
46–95 kV
efficiency
(%)
98.10
98.33
98.49
98.60
98.73
98.82
98.96
99.07
99.14
99.22
99.27
99.31
97.86
98.12
98.30
98.42
98.57
98.67
98.83
98.95
99.03
99.12
99.18
99.23
≥96 kV
efficiency
(%)
....................
....................
....................
....................
98.53
98.63
98.80
98.91
98.99
99.09
99.15
99.20
Note: BIL means basic impulse insulation level.
Note: All efficiency values are at 50 percent of nameplate-rated load, determined according to the DOE test procedure. 10 CFR Part 431, Subpart K, Appendix A.
C. Benefits to Transformer Consumers
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
B. Distribution Transformer
Characteristics
The minimum efficiency levels in
today’s standards can be met by
distribution transformer designs that
already are available in the market. DOE
expects that distribution transformer
designs that incorporate different
voltages and other design variations will
still be able to be manufactured under
the new standards, maintaining all the
features and utility found in
commercially available products today.
In analyzing the benefits and burdens
of potential standards, DOE represented
the range of possible distribution
transformer costs and features by
representative engineering design lines.
Five design lines (DL1, DL2, DL3, DL4,
and DL5) represent the range of features
and costs for liquid-immersed
transformers, while five design lines
(DL9, DL10, DL11, DL12, and DL13)
represent medium-voltage, dry-type
transformers. Three design lines (DL6,
DL7, and DL8) represented low-voltage
dry-type transformers and were
included in DOE’s ANOPR analysis. But
as indicated above, DOE subsequently
removed these transformers from this
rulemaking when the Energy Policy Act
of 2005 established minimum efficiency
levels for them.
On average, liquid-immersed
transformers are already relatively
efficient. The annual operating costs for
such transformers range from
approximately 1⁄10 to 1⁄30 of the installed
cost. Medium-voltage, dry-type
transformers tend to have higher losses,
and are subject to higher electricity
costs. Their annual operating costs tend
to be approximately 1⁄10 of the installed
cost.
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D. Impact on Manufacturers
The economic impacts on transformer
consumers (i.e., the average life-cycle
cost (LCC) savings) are positive for the
new energy efficiency levels established
by this rule. For liquid-immersed
transformers, an increase in first costs of
6–12 percent is accompanied by a
decrease in operating costs of 15–23
percent, corresponding to a similar drop
in electrical losses. For medium-voltage,
dry-type transformers, an increase in
first costs of 3–13 percent is
accompanied by a decrease in losses
and operating costs of 9–26 percent. On
average, the new standards provides net
life-cycle benefits for all categories of
distribution transformers, although
some liquid-immersed transformers
with smaller loads and relatively low
electricity cost are likely to incur a net
cost from the new standards. For liquidimmersed transformers, DOE estimates
that approximately 25% of the market
incurs a net life-cycle cost from the
standard while 75% of the market is
either not affected or incurs a net
benefit. DOE also investigated how
these standards might affect municipal
utilities and rural electric cooperatives.
While the benefits are positive for
municipal utilities, a majority of
smaller, pole-mounted transformers for
rural electric cooperatives will incur a
net life-cycle cost. However, because of
a relatively large per-transformer
reduction in life-cycle cost for some
non-evaluating rural electric
cooperatives (i.e., those that do not take
into consideration the cost of
transformer losses when choosing a
transformer) rural electric cooperatives
as a whole receive an average life-cycle
cost benefit.
Using a real corporate discount rate of
8.9 percent, DOE estimated the industry
net present values (INPV) of the liquidimmersed and medium-voltage, drytype distribution transformer industries
to be $609 million and $36 million,
respectively, in 2006$. DOE expects the
impact of today’s standards on the INPV
of the liquid-immersed transformer
industry to be between an eight percent
loss and an eight percent increase
(¥$47 million to $47 million). DOE
expects the impact of today’s standards
on the INPV of the medium-voltage, drytype transformer industry to be between
a 15 percent loss and a 9 percent loss
(¥$5.2 million to ¥$3.2 million). Based
on DOE’s analysis and interviews with
distribution transformer manufacturers,
DOE expects minimal plant closings or
loss of employment as a result of the
standards promulgated today.
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E. National Benefits
The standards will provide significant
benefits to the Nation. DOE estimates
the standards will save approximately
2.74 quads (quadrillion (1015) British
thermal units (BTU)) of energy over 29
years (2010–2038). This is equivalent to
all the energy consumed by 27 million
American households in a single year.
By 2038, DOE expects the energy
savings from the standards to eliminate
the need for approximately six new 400megawatt combined-cycle gas turbine
power plants. The total energy savings
from the standard will result in
cumulative greenhouse gas emission
reductions of approximately 238 million
tons (Mt) of carbon dioxide (CO2) from
a variety of generation sources. This is
an amount equal to what would be
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saved by removing 80 percent of all
light vehicles from U.S. roads for one
year.
The national net present value (NPV)
of the standards is $1.39 billion using a
seven percent discount rate and $7.8
billion using a three percent discount
rate, cumulative from 2010 to 2073 in
2006$. This is the estimated total value
of future energy savings minus the
estimated increased equipment costs,
discounted to the year 2007. The
benefits and costs of the standard can
also be expressed in terms of annualized
2006$ values over the forecast period
2010 through 2038.
Using a seven percent discount rate
for the annualized cost analysis, the cost
of the standard is $463 million per year
in increased equipment and installation
costs while the annualized benefits are
$602 million per year in reduced
equipment operating costs. Using a
three percent discount rate, the cost of
the standard is $460 million per year
while the benefits of today’s standard
are $904 million per year.
F. Conclusion
DOE concludes that the benefits
(energy savings, transformer consumer
LCC savings, national NPV increases,
and emissions reductions) to the Nation
of the standards outweigh their costs
(loss of manufacturer INPV and
transformer consumer LCC increases for
some users of distribution transformers).
DOE concludes that today’s standards
for liquid-immersed and mediumvoltage, dry-type transformers are
technologically feasible and
economically justified, and will result
in significant energy savings. At present,
both liquid-immersed and mediumvoltage, dry-type transformers that meet
the new standard levels are
commercially available.
II. Introduction
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A. Authority
Title III of EPCA sets forth a variety
of provisions designed to improve
energy efficiency. Part B of Title III (42
U.S.C. 6291–6309) provides for the
Energy Conservation Program for
Consumer Products other than
Automobiles. Part C of Title III (42
U.S.C. 6311–6317) establishes a similar
program for ‘‘Certain Industrial
Equipment,’’ and includes distribution
transformers, the subject of this
rulemaking. DOE publishes today’s final
rule pursuant to Part C of Title III,
which provides for test procedures,
labeling, and energy conservation
standards for distribution transformers
and certain other products, and
authorizes DOE to require information
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and reports from manufacturers. The
distribution transformer test procedure
appears in Title 10 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) Part 431, Subpart K,
Appendix A.
EPCA contains criteria for prescribing
new or amended energy conservation
standards. DOE must prescribe
standards only for those distribution
transformers for which DOE: (1) Has
determined that standards would be
technologically feasible and
economically justified and would result
in significant energy savings; and (2) has
prescribed test procedures. (42 U.S.C.
6317(a)(2)) Moreover, DOE analyzed
whether today’s standards for
distribution transformers will achieve
the maximum improvement in energy
efficiency that is technologically
feasible and economically justified. (See
42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(A), 6316(a), and
6317(a) and (c)) 2
In addition, DOE decided whether
each of today’s standards for
distribution transformers is
economically justified, after receiving
comments on the proposed standards,
by determining whether the benefits of
each standard exceed its burdens by
considering, to the greatest extent
practicable, the following seven factors
that are set forth in 42 U.S.C.
6295(o)(2)(B)(i):
(1) The economic impact of the
standard on manufacturers and
consumers of the products subject to the
standard;
(2) The savings in operating costs
throughout the estimated average life of
products in the type (or class) compared
to any increase in the price, initial
charges, or maintenance expenses for
the covered products that are likely to
result from the imposition of the
standard;
(3) The total projected amount of
energy savings likely to result directly
from the imposition of the standard;
(4) Any lessening of the utility or the
performance of the products likely to
result from the imposition of the
standard;
(5) The impact of any lessening of
competition, as determined in writing
2 DOE notes that 42 U.S.C. 6317(c) requires that
DOE ‘‘take into consideration’’ the criteria
contained in section 325(n).’’ However, Section
325(n), ‘‘Petition For An Amended Standard,’’ does
not contain the criteria for establishing new or
amended standards, rather as its title states, it
contains the criteria DOE must apply for
determining whether to grant petitions for
amending standards, filed by any person with the
Secretary of Energy. Section 325(o) entitled,
‘‘Criteria for Prescribing New or Amended
Standards’’ contains the appropriate criteria that 42
U.S.C. 6317(c) apparently intends to reference. The
reference in section 42 U.S.C. 6317(c) to section
325(n) is an inadvertent error and DOE will apply
the criteria in section 325(o) instead.
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58193
by the Attorney General, that is likely to
result from the imposition of the
standard;
(6) The need for national energy
conservation; and
(7) Other factors the Secretary
considers relevant.
In developing today’s energy
conservation standards, DOE also has
applied certain other provisions of 42
U.S.C. 6295. First, DOE would not
prescribe a standard for distribution
transformers if interested persons
established by a preponderance of the
evidence that the standard is likely to
result in the unavailability in the United
States of any type (or class) of this
equipment with performance
characteristics (including reliability),
features, sizes, capacities, and volumes
that are substantially the same as those
generally available at the time of the
Secretary’s finding. (See 42 U.S.C.
6295(o)(4))
Second, DOE has applied 42 U.S.C.
6295(o)(2)(B)(iii), which establishes a
rebuttable presumption that a standard
is economically justified if the Secretary
finds that ‘‘the additional cost to the
consumer of purchasing a product
complying with an energy conservation
standard level will be less than three
times the value of the energy * * *
savings during the first year that the
consumer will receive as a result of the
standard, as calculated under the
applicable test procedure * * *.’’ The
rebuttable presumption test is an
alternative path to establishing
economic justification.
Third, DOE may specify a different
standard level than that which applies
generally to a type or class of equipment
for any group of products ‘‘which have
the same function or intended use, if
* * * products within such group—(A)
consume a different kind of energy from
that consumed by other covered
products within such type (or class); or
(B) have a capacity or other
performance-related feature which other
products within such type (or class) do
not have and such feature justifies a
higher or lower standard’’ than applies
or will apply to the other products. (See
42 U.S.C. 6295(q)(1)) Any rule
prescribing such a standard includes an
explanation of the basis on which DOE
establishes such higher or lower level.
(See 42 U.S.C. 6295(q)(2))
Federal energy efficiency
requirements for equipment covered by
42 U.S.C. 6317 generally supersede
State laws or regulations concerning
energy conservation testing, labeling,
and standards. (42 U.S.C. 6297(a)–(c)
and 42 U.S.C. 6316(a)) DOE can,
however, grant waivers of preemption
for particular State laws or regulations,
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in accordance with the procedures and
other provisions of section 327(d) of the
Act. (42 U.S.C. 6297(d) and 42 U.S.C.
6316(a))
B. Background
1. Current Standards
Presently, there are no national energy
conservation standards for the liquidimmersed and medium-voltage, drytype distribution transformers covered
by this rulemaking. However, on August
8, 2005, EPACT 2005 amended EPCA to
establish energy conservation standards
for low-voltage, dry-type distribution
transformers.3 (EPACT 2005, Section
135(c); 42 U.S.C. 6295(y)) The standard
levels for low-voltage dry-type
transformers appear in Table II.1.
TABLE II.1.—ENERGY CONSERVATION STANDARDS FOR LOW-VOLTAGE, DRY-TYPE DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS
Single-phase
Three-phase
Efficiency
(%)
kVA
15 ......................................................................................
25 ......................................................................................
37.5 ...................................................................................
50 ......................................................................................
75 ......................................................................................
100 ....................................................................................
167 ....................................................................................
250 ....................................................................................
333 ....................................................................................
97.7
98.0
98.2
98.3
98.5
98.6
98.7
98.8
98.9
Efficiency
(%)
kVA
15 .....................................................................................
30 .....................................................................................
45 .....................................................................................
75 .....................................................................................
112.5 ................................................................................
150 ...................................................................................
225 ...................................................................................
300 ...................................................................................
500 ...................................................................................
750 ...................................................................................
1000 .................................................................................
97.0
97.5
97.7
98.0
98.2
98.3
98.5
98.6
98.7
98.8
98.9
Note: All efficiency values are at 35 percent of nameplate-rated load, determined according to the DOE test procedure. 10 CFR Part 431, Subpart K, Appendix A.
DOE incorporated these standards
into its regulations, along with the
standards for several other types of
products and equipment, in a Final Rule
published on October 18, 2005. 70 FR
60407, 60416–60417.
2. History of Standards Rulemaking for
Distribution Transformers
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On October 22, 1997, the Secretary of
Energy published a notice stating that
DOE ‘‘has determined, based on the best
information currently available, that
energy conservation standards for
electric distribution transformers are
technologically feasible, economically
justified and would result in significant
energy savings.’’ 62 FR 54809. The
Secretary based this determination, in
part, on analyses conducted by DOE’s
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
The two reports containing these
analyses—Determination Analysis of
Energy Conservation Standards for
Distribution Transformers, ORNL–6847
(1996) and Supplement to the
‘‘Determination Analysis,’’ ORNL–6847
(1997)—are available on the DOE Web
site at: https://www.eere.energy.gov/
buildings/appliance_standards/
commercial/
distribution_transformers.html.
3 EPACT 2005 established that the efficiency of a
low-voltage dry-type distribution transformer
manufactured on or after January 1, 2007 shall be
the Class I Efficiency Levels for distribution
transformers specified in Table 4–2 of the ‘‘Guide
for Determining Energy Efficiency for Distribution
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As a result of its positive
determination, in 2000 DOE developed
the Framework Document for
Distribution Transformer Energy
Conservation Standards Rulemaking,
which described the approaches DOE
anticipated using to develop energy
conservation standards for distribution
transformers. This document is also
available on the above-referenced DOE
website. On November 1, 2000, DOE
held a public meeting to discuss the
proposed analytical framework.
Manufacturers, trade associations,
electric utilities, energy efficiency
organizations, regulators, and other
interested parties attended this meeting.
Stakeholders also submitted written
comments on the Framework Document
addressing a range of issues.
In the first quarter of 2002, prior to
issuing its ANOPR, DOE met with
manufacturers of liquid-immersed and
dry-type distribution transformers to
solicit feedback on a draft engineering
analysis report DOE had published
containing a proposed analytical
structure for the engineering analysis
and some initial transformer designs. In
addition, DOE also posted draft
screening, engineering, and LCC
analysis reports on its website, and held
a live Webcast on the LCC analysis on
October 17, 2002.4 DOE received
comments from stakeholders on the
draft reports, and these comments
helped improve the quality of the
analyses included in the ANOPR for this
rulemaking, which was published on
July 29, 2004. 69 FR 45376. In
preparation for the September 28, 2004,
ANOPR public meeting, DOE held a
Webcast to acquaint stakeholders with
the analytical tools and with other
material DOE had published the
previous month.
On August 5, 2005, DOE posted its
draft NOPR analysis for the liquidimmersed and medium-voltage, drytype distribution transformers on its
Web site for early public review, along
with spreadsheets for several of these
analyses. This early publication of the
draft NOPR analysis included the draft
engineering analysis, LCC analysis,
national impact analysis, and
manufacturer impact analysis (MIA),
and the draft TSD chapters associated
with each of these analyses. The
purpose of publishing these four draft
analyses was to give stakeholders an
opportunity to review the analyses and
prepare recommendations for DOE as to
the appropriate standard levels.5
On April 27, 2006, DOE published its
Final Rule on Test Procedures for
Transformers’’ published by the National Electrical
Manufacturers Association (NEMA TP 1–2002).
4 Copies of all the draft analyses published before
the ANOPR are available on DOE’s Web site:
https://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/commercial/
distribution_transformers_draft_analysis.html.
5 Copies of the four draft NOPR analyses
published in August 2005 are available on DOE’s
Web site: https://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/commercial/distribution_
transformers_draft_analysis_nopr.html.
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Distribution Transformers. In addition
to establishing the procedure for
sampling and testing distribution
transformers so that manufacturers can
make representations as to their
efficiency as well as establish that they
comply with Federal standards, this
final rule also contained enforcement
provisions, outlining the procedure the
Department would follow should it
initiate an enforcement action against a
manufacturer. 71 FR 24972; 10 CFR
431.198.
On July 25, 2006, DOE published a
NOPR proposing compliance
certification procedures for a range of
consumer products and commercial and
industrial equipment, including
distribution transformers. This NOPR
included both a compliance statement
and a certification report for distribution
transformer manufacturers. 71 FR
42178. DOE is currently preparing its
final rule for that proceeding, which
will establish requirements around the
compliance statement and certification
report for distribution transformers and
other products and equipment.
On August 4, 2006, DOE published
the distribution transformer energy
conservation standards NOPR. 71 FR
44355. In conjunction with the NOPR,
DOE also published on its Web site the
complete TSD for the proposed rule,
58195
which incorporated the final analyses
DOE conducted and technical
documentation for each analysis. The
TSD included the engineering analysis
spreadsheets, the LCC spreadsheet, the
national impact analysis spreadsheet,
and the MIA spreadsheet—all of which
are available on DOE’s Web site.6 Table
II.2 presents the energy conservation
standard levels DOE proposed in the
NOPR for liquid-immersed distribution
transformers, and Table II.3 presents the
energy conservation standard levels
DOE proposed for medium-voltage, drytype distribution transformers.
TABLE II.2.—NOPR PROPOSED ENERGY CONSERVATION STANDARD LEVELS FOR LIQUID-IMMERSED DISTRIBUTION
TRANSFORMERS
Single-phase
Three-phase
Efficiency
(%)
kVA
10 ......................................................................................
15 ......................................................................................
25 ......................................................................................
37.5 ...................................................................................
50 ......................................................................................
75 ......................................................................................
100 ....................................................................................
167 ....................................................................................
250 ....................................................................................
333 ....................................................................................
500 ....................................................................................
667 ....................................................................................
833 ....................................................................................
98.40
98.56
98.73
98.85
98.90
99.04
99.10
99.21
99.26
99.31
99.38
99.42
99.45
Efficiency
(%)
kVA
15 .....................................................................................
30 .....................................................................................
45 .....................................................................................
75 .....................................................................................
112.5 ................................................................................
150 ...................................................................................
225 ...................................................................................
300 ...................................................................................
500 ...................................................................................
750 ...................................................................................
1000 .................................................................................
1500 .................................................................................
2000 .................................................................................
2500 .................................................................................
98.36
98.62
98.76
98.91
99.01
99.08
99.17
99.23
99.32
99.24
99.29
99.36
99.40
99.44
Note: All efficiency values are at 50 percent of nameplate-rated load, determined according to the DOE test procedure. 10 CFR Part 431, Subpart K, Appendix A.
TABLE II.3.—NOPR PROPOSED ENERGY CONSERVATION STANDARD LEVELS FOR MEDIUM-VOLTAGE, DRY-TYPE
DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS
Single-phase
BIL
kVA
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15 ......................................
25 ......................................
37.5 ...................................
50 ......................................
75 ......................................
100 ....................................
167 ....................................
250 ....................................
333 ....................................
500 ....................................
667 ....................................
833 ....................................
20–45 kV
Efficiency
(%)
98.10
98.33
98.49
98.60
98.73
98.82
98.96
99.07
99.14
99.22
99.27
99.31
Three-phase
46–95 kV
Efficiency
(%)
97.86
98.12
98.30
98.42
98.57
98.67
98.83
98.95
99.03
99.12
99.18
99.23
≥96 kV
Efficiency
(%)
....................
....................
....................
....................
98.53
98.63
98.80
98.91
98.99
99.09
99.15
99.20
20–45 kV
Efficiency
(%)
BIL
kVA
15 .....................................
30 .....................................
45 .....................................
75 .....................................
112.5 ................................
150 ...................................
225 ...................................
300 ...................................
500 ...................................
750 ...................................
1000 .................................
1500 .................................
2000 .................................
2500 .................................
97.50
97.90
98.10
98.33
98.49
98.60
98.73
98.82
98.96
99.07
99.14
99.22
99.27
99.31
46–95 kV
fficiency
(%)
97.19
97.63
97.86
98.12
98.30
98.42
98.57
98.67
98.83
98.95
99.03
99.12
99.18
99.23
≥96 kV
Efficiency
(%)
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
....................
98.53
98.63
98.80
98.91
98.99
99.09
99.15
99.20
Note: BIL means basic impulse insulation level.
Note: All efficiency values are at 50 percent of nameplate-rated load, determined according to the DOE test procedure. 10 CFR Part 431, Subpart K, Appendix A.
6 The Web site address for all the spreadsheets
developed for this rulemaking proceeding are
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In the NOPR, DOE identified seven
issues on which it was particularly
interested in receiving comments and
views of interested parties. 71 FR 44406.
On February 9, 2007, DOE issued a
notice of data availability and request
for comments (NODA). 72 FR 6186. DOE
published this notice in response to
stakeholders who had commented, in
response to the NOPR, that DOE’s
proposed standards might prevent or
render impractical the replacement of
distribution transformers in certain
space-constrained (e.g., vault)
installations. In the NODA, DOE sought
comment on whether it should include
in the LCC analysis potential costs
related to size constraints of
transformers installed in vaults. In the
NODA, DOE outlined different
approaches as to how it might account
for additional installation costs for these
space-constrained applications. In
addition, DOE also published the NODA
in response to certain stakeholders who
commented that DOE should address
the consistency issues for liquidimmersed transformers in the table of
efficiency standards. DOE also
requested comments on linking
efficiency levels for three-phase liquidimmersed units with those of singlephase units. Specifically, in the NODA
DOE discussed how it was inclined to
consider a final standard that is based
on efficiency levels that are based on
TSL 2 and TSL 3 for three-phase units
and TSLs 2, 3 and 4 for single-phase
units. 72 FR 6189. Based on comments
on the August 2006 proposed rule and
the February 2007, NODA, DOE created
new TSLs, including TSL B, which is,
generally speaking, a combination of
TSL 2 for three-phase units and TSL 3
for single-phase units. DOE received
more than 20 written comments in
response to this NODA on both the
space constraint issue and how to set
final efficiency ratings, which are
discussed in the following sections of
this final rule.
In response to the NODA, Cooper
Power Systems commented that they
were concerned that the NODA did not
indicate any specifics regarding the
proposed TSL levels for any design
lines. Cooper states that DOE needs to
publish a new proposed table that
represents the mix of efficiency levels
being considered in order for interested
parties to provide solid feedback on the
impact of these proposals. (Cooper, No.
175 at p. 1) 7 ABB provided a similar
7A notation in the form ‘‘Cooper, No. 175 at p.
1’’ identifies a written comment DOE received and
included in the docket for this rulemaking. This
particular notation refers to a comment (a) by
Cooper Power Systems (Cooper), (b) in document
number 175 in the docket of this rulemaking
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comment, expressing that they disagree
with DOE’s action of indicating that it
may adopt a new mix of TSLs derived
from a combination of TSLs 2, 3 and 4
as the final standard level without
specifying exactly which combination is
being considered. (ABB, No. 167 at p. 1)
DOE appreciates these two comments,
but does not agree with the stakeholders
criticism of DOE’s actions and the
rulemaking process for the following
reasons. First, the NODA provided
notice to stakeholders that DOE would
consider a combination of TSLs for
liquid-immersed distribution
transformers for the final rule.
Accordingly, stakeholders have been
given an opportunity to review the
existing proposed standard levels and
published NOPR analysis, and provide
comments to DOE as to the combination
of efficiency values they believe are the
most justified, and why. Second, DOE
did not consider simply one new TSL in
today’s final rule, but instead created
four new TSLs (TSL A, B, C, and D)
based on combinations of efficiency
values from previously proposed TSL 2,
3 and 4. These four combinations of
TSLs enabled DOE to consider several
different efficiency values for liquidimmersed transformers for the final rule,
decreasing the burdens associated with
inconsistencies between three-phase
and single-phase units and eliminating
the discontinuities of efficiency values
between design lines. In addition, the
four combinations of TSLs attempt to
maximize national and consumer
benefits and select appropriate, costjustified, efficiency levels across all the
design lines. Third, all of the actual
efficiency ratings considered in the four
new TSL combinations developed for
today’s final rule were previously
published in DOE’s August 2006 NOPR.
For all of these reasons, DOE believes
the NODA provides stakeholders
sufficient notice and opportunity for
comment concerning the standard level
adopted by today’s final rule.
III. General Discussion
A. Test Procedures
Section 7(c) of the Process Rule
(Procedures for Consideration of New or
Revised Energy Conservation Standards
for Consumer Products, Title 10 CFR
part 430, Subpart C, Appendix A; 61 FR
36974) 8 indicates that DOE will issue a
final test procedure, if one is needed,
(maintained in the Resource Room of the Building
Technologies Program), and (c) appearing on page
1 of document number 175.
8 The Process Rule provides guidance on how
DOE conducts its energy conservation standards
rulemakings, including the analytical steps and
sequencing of rulemaking stages (such as test
procedures and energy conservation standards).
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prior to issuing a proposed rule for
energy conservation standards. DOE
published its test procedure for
distribution transformers as a final rule
on April 27, 2006. 71 FR 24972.
B. Technological Feasibility
1. General
There are distribution transformers in
the market at all of the efficiency levels
prescribed in today’s final rule.
Therefore, DOE believes all of the
efficiency levels adopted by today’s
final rule are technologically feasible.
2. Maximum Technologically Feasible
Levels
Applying the requirements of 42
U.S.C. 6295(p)(2), and as discussed in
the proposed rule, DOE determined ‘‘the
maximum improvement in energy
efficiency or maximum reduction in
energy use that is technologically
feasible.’’ 71 FR 44362. DOE determined
the ‘‘max-tech’’ efficiency levels in the
engineering analysis (see Chapter 5 in
the TSD) and then used these highest
efficiency designs to establish the maxtech levels for the LCC analysis (see
Chapter 8 in the TSD). DOE then scaled
these max-tech efficiencies to the other
kVA ratings within a given design line,
establishing max-tech efficiencies for all
the distribution transformer kVA
ratings.
C. Energy Savings
DOE forecasted energy savings in its
national energy savings (NES) analysis,
through the use of an NES spreadsheet
tool, as discussed in the proposed rule.
71 FR 44361, 44363, 44380–44381,
44384, 44393, 44401.
One of the criteria that govern DOE’s
adoption of standards for distribution
transformers is that the standard must
result in ‘‘significant’’ energy savings.
(42 U.S.C. 6317(a)) While EPCA does
not define the term ‘‘significant,’’ a U.S.
Court of Appeals, in Natural Resources
Defense Council v. Herrington, 768 F.2d
1355, 1373 (D.C. Cir. 1985), indicated
that Congress intended ‘‘significant’’
energy savings in section 325 of EPCA
to be savings that were not ‘‘genuinely
trivial.’’ The energy savings for the
standard levels DOE is adopting today
are nontrivial, and therefore DOE
considers them ‘‘significant’’ as required
by 42 U.S.C. 6317(a).
D. Economic Justification
As noted earlier, EPCA provides
seven factors for DOE to evaluate in
determining whether an energy
conservation standard for distribution
transformers is economically justified.
The following discussion explains how
DOE has addressed each of these seven
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factors in this rulemaking. (42 U.S.C.
6295(o)(2)(B)(i))
1. Economic Impact on Commercial
Consumers and Manufacturers
DOE considered the economic impact
of the standard on commercial
consumers and manufacturers, as
discussed in the proposed rule. 71 FR
44361, 44363–44364, 44367, 44376–
44277, 44379, 44381–44384, 44385–
44389, 44390–44393, 44394, 44396–
44400, 44401–44404. DOE updated the
analyses to incorporate more recent
material price information. One
significant change to the MIA was the
inclusion of lower conversion-capital
expenditure estimates for those trial
standard levels (TSLs) which require or
otherwise trigger manufacturers to
switch to amorphous core technology.
DOE based the revised estimates on
information provided by industry
experts (see Section V.A.3 below).
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2. Life-Cycle Costs
DOE considered life-cycle costs of
distribution transformers, as discussed
in the proposed rule. 71 FR 44362–
44363, 44371–44376, 44378–44379,
44385–44390, 44395–44396. It
calculated the sum of the purchase price
and the operating expense—discounted
over the lifetime of the equipment—to
estimate the range in LCC benefits that
commercial consumers would expect to
achieve due to the new standards. DOE
also examined the economic
justification for its proposed standards
for distribution transformers by
applying section 325(o)(2)(B)(iii) of
EPCA (42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(iii)),
which provides that there is a rebuttable
presumption that an energy
conservation standard is economically
justified if the increased installed cost
for a product that meets the standard is
less than three times the value of the
first-year energy savings resulting from
the standard, as calculated under the
applicable DOE test procedure. 71 FR
44388–44389. Some of the standard
levels DOE is adopting today satisfy the
rebuttable presumption test but others
do not. However, DOE determined all of
them to be economically justified based
on the above-described analyses.
3. Energy Savings
While significant conservation of
energy is a separate statutory
requirement for imposing an energy
conservation standard, in determining
the economic justification of a standard,
DOE considers the total projected
energy savings that are expected to
result directly from the standard. (See
42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(i)(III)) DOE used
the NES spreadsheet results in its
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consideration of total projected savings.
71 FR 44361, 44363, 44380–44381,
44384, 44393, 44401.
4. Lessening of Utility or Performance of
Equipment
In selecting today’s standard levels,
DOE avoided new standards for
distribution transformers that lessen the
utility or performance of the equipment
under consideration in this rulemaking.
(See 42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(i)(IV)) DOE
sought to capture in the economic
analysis the impact of any increase in
transformer size or weight associated
with efficiency improvements.
Specifically when selecting the new
standards, DOE considered the
installation costs for pole-mounted
transformers and vault transformers that
may be incurred with larger, heavier,
more efficient transformers. 71 FR
44363, 44394. In addition, DOE
recognizes that underground mining
transformers are subject to unique and
extreme dimensional constraints which
impact the efficiency and performance
of these distribution transformers.
Therefore, DOE is establishing a
separate product class for underground
mining transformers. In the future, DOE
may consider establishing energy
conservation standards for underground
mining transformers. DOE is not setting
a standard for underground mining
transformers in today’s final rule, rather
it is reserving a section and intends to
develop analysis that would establish an
appropriate energy conservation
standard for underground mining
transformers in the future. Finally,
when selecting today’s standard, DOE
carefully reviewed the results of an
engineering sensitivity analysis on
primary winding voltages. This
sensitivity analysis considers higher
primary voltages than those used in the
representative units studied in the
engineering analysis. This sensitivity
analysis enables DOE to evaluate the
impact on cost and efficiency associated
with the final rule TSLs. (see Section
V.A.1.a in this notice, and TSD
Appendix 5D) Thus, the analysis in
today’s final rule takes into
consideration the additional costs
associated with space-constrained polemounted and vault transformers, and
ensures that higher primary voltages are
not eliminated from the market. Based
on DOE’s engineering analysis, DOE
concludes that more efficient polemounted and vault transformers are
technologically feasible. However, in
some instances, DOE believes that
transformer poles and vaults may need
to be replaced to accommodate the more
efficient transformers as a result of
today’s final rule. DOE included
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increased installation costs of such polemounted and vault transformer in its
analysis. In this way, DOE has captured
the costs and benefits of replacement
pole-mounted and vault transformers.
Details of pole and vault replacement
cost estimation methods are provided in
sections 7.3.1 and 7.3.5 of TSD Chapter
7.
5. Impact of Any Lessening of
Competition
DOE considers any lessening of
competition that is likely to result from
standards. Accordingly, as discussed in
the proposed rule, 71 FR 44363–44364,
44394, at DOE’s request, the Department
of Justice (DOJ) reviewed the proposed
standard level (i.e., the NOPR) and
transmitted to the Secretary a written
determination of the impact of any
lessening of competition likely to result,
together with an analysis of the nature
and extent of such impact. (See 42
U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(i)(V) and (B)(ii))
DOE addressed the issues raised in the
Attorney General’s response to the
NOPR, as discussed in section VI.C.5 of
today’s final rule. The letter DOJ
submitted to DOE in response to the
NOPR appears at the end of this notice
of final rulemaking.
Today’s final rule, which follows
publication of the NODA, adopts a
standard level that is higher than the
standard proposed in the NOPR for
certain liquid-immersed distribution
transformers. DOJ was provided draft
copies of the notice of final rulemaking
and the final rule TSD for review. The
Attorney General did not express any
concerns about impacts associated with
today’s final rule. A copy of Attorney
General’s letter to DOE in response to
the final rule also appears at the end of
this notice of final rulemaking.
6. Need of the Nation To Conserve
Energy
The Secretary recognizes that energy
conservation benefits the Nation in
several important ways. The nonmonetary benefits of a standard are
likely to be reflected in improvements to
the security of the Nation’s energy
system. In addition, reductions in the
overall demand for energy will result in
reduced costs for maintaining reliability
of the Nation’s electricity system.
Finally, today’s standards will likely
result in reductions in greenhouse gas
emissions. As discussed in the proposed
rule, DOE has considered these factors
in adopting today’s standards. 71 FR
44364, 44384, 44394–44395, 44398–
44400. (See 42 U.S.C.
6295(o)(2)(B)(i)(VI))
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7. Other Factors
The Secretary of Energy, in
determining whether a standard is
economically justified, considers any
other factors the Secretary deems to be
relevant. (See 42 U.S.C.
6295(o)(2)(B)(i)(VII)) The results of the
utility impact analysis, and the analysis
of national employment impacts are
‘‘other factors’’ that the Secretary took
into consideration. In addition, for this
rulemaking, the Secretary also took into
consideration stakeholder concerns
about the increasing cost of raw
materials for building transformers, the
volatility of material prices, and the
cumulative effect of material price
increases on the transformer industry, as
discussed in the proposed rule. 71 FR
44364, 44395. Since issuance of the
NOPR, DOE conducted two engineering
sensitivity evaluations—one considering
current (2006) material prices and a
second considering transformers with
alternative primary voltages that have
higher insulation requirements (and are
therefore more expensive and less
efficient to manufacture). Also, as it had
done in the proposed rule, DOE
conducted LCC sensitivities, evaluating
engineering analysis cost-efficiency
curves generated using a high material
price scenario 9 and a low material price
scenario,10 and other variable inputs in
the LCC analysis. In selecting today’s
standards, DOE also took into
consideration the need to have
consistency in the efficiency
requirements between single-phase and
three-phase liquid-immersed
transformers. See section V.C.1 for
discussion on development of the final
rule TSLs, including how single-phase
and three-phase consistency was
maintained between the liquidimmersed product classes.
IV. Methodology and Discussion of
Comments on Methodology
DOE used a number of analytical tools
that it previously developed and
adapted for use in this rulemaking. The
first tool is a spreadsheet that calculates
LCC and payback period (PBP). The
second tool calculates NES and national
NPV. DOE also used the Government
Regulatory Impact Model (GRIM),
among other methods, in its MIA.
Finally, DOE developed an approach
using the National Energy Modeling
System (NEMS) to estimate impacts of
distribution transformer energy
conservation standards on electric
utilities and the environment.
Regarding the analytical methodology,
DOE has continued to use the
spreadsheets and approaches explained
in the proposed rule. 71 FR 44364–
44384. It revised them, and applied
them again to develop the analysis for
this final rule. The tables below
summarize all the major NOPR inputs to
the LCC and PBP analysis, the
Shipments Analysis and the National
Impact Analysis, and whether those
inputs were revised for the final rule. In
addition to these updates, DOE also
updated the material prices it used for
the engineering analysis, as discussed in
TSD Chapter 5.
TABLE IV.1.—FINAL RULE INPUTS FOR THE LCC AND PBP ANALYSES
Inputs
NOPR description
Changes for final rule
Affecting Installed Costs
Equipment price ..............................
Derived by multiplying manufacturer selling price (from the engineering analysis) by distributor markup and contractor markup plus
sales tax for dry-type transformers. For liquid-immersed transformers, DOE used manufacturer selling price plus small distributor
markup plus sales tax. Shipping costs were included for both types
of transformers.
No change.
Installation cost ...............................
Includes a weight-specific component, derived from RS Means Electrical Cost Data 2002 and a markup to cover installation labor, pole
replacement costs for design line 2 and equipment wear and tear.
The selection of baseline and standard-compliant transformers depended on customer behavior. For liquid-immersed transformers,
the fraction of purchases evaluated was 75%, while for dry-type
transformers, the fraction of evaluated purchases was 50% for
small capacity medium voltage and 80% for large-capacity medium
voltage.
Added a case with vault replacement costs as a subgroup analysis.
No change in percent of evaluators. Different values of customer choice B parameter was
estimated for small versus large
liquid-immersed transformers.*
Baseline and standard design selection.
Affecting Operating Costs
Transformer loading ........................
Loading depended on customer and transformer characteristics .........
Technical improvement was made
for liquid-immersed statistical
load model where the 1995
Commercial Building Energy
Consumption Survey data was
used for load factor estimates.
Load growth ....................................
1% per year for liquid-immersed and 0% per year for dry-type transformers.
Assumed to be unity ..............................................................................
Adjusted to 0% per year for both
liquid-immersed and dry-type.
No change.
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Power factor ....................................
9 The high material price scenario is based on
using the year with the highest material prices in
the five-year sample (i.e., 2002 to 2006) of material
prices updated for the final rule. In this sample, the
year with the highest overall material prices was
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2006. See TSD Chapter 5 for a discussion on
material prices.
10 The low material price scenario is based on
selecting the year with the lowest M6 material price
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in the five-year sample (i.e., 2002), and then
applying a uniform 15 percent discount to all the
material prices from that year. See TSD Chapter 5
for a discussion on material prices.
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TABLE IV.1.—FINAL RULE INPUTS FOR THE LCC AND PBP ANALYSES—Continued
Inputs
NOPR description
Annual energy use and demand .....
Derived from a statistical hourly load simulation for liquid-immersed
transformers, and estimated from the 1995 Commercial Building
Energy Consumption Survey data for dry-type transformers using
factors derived from hourly load data. Load losses varied as the
square of the load and were equal to rated load losses at 100%
loading.
Derived from tariff-based and hourly based electricity prices. Capacity
costs provided extra value for reducing losses at peak.
Obtained from Annual Energy Outlook 2005 (AEO2005) .....................
Annual maintenance cost did not vary as a function of efficiency ........
Electricity costs ...............................
Electricity price trend .......................
Maintenance cost ............................
Changes for final rule
No change.
Adjusted electricity prices for inflation.
Updated to AEO2007.
No change.
Affecting Present Value of Annual Operating Cost Savings
Effective date ..................................
Discount rates .................................
Lifetime ............................................
Assumed to be 2010 .............................................................................
Mean real discount rates ranged from 4.2% for owners of polemounted, liquid-immersed transformers to 6.6% for dry-type transformer owners.
Distribution of lifetimes, with mean lifetime for both liquid and dry-type
transformers assumed to be 32 years.
No change.
Discount rate sensitivity added to
spreadsheet tool.
No change.
Candidate Standard Levels
Trial standard levels ........................
Six efficiency levels with the minimum equal to TP 1 and the maximum from the most efficient designs from the engineering analysis. Intermediate efficiency levels for each design line selected
using a redefined set of LCC criteria..
For liquid-immersed transformers
a set of four recombinations of
the NOPR standard levels were
formulated that have consistency between single-phase and
three-phase efficiency levels
* The concept of using A and B loss evaluation combinations is discussed in TSD chapter 3, Total Owning Cost Evaluation. Within the context
of the LCC analysis, the A factor measures the value to a transformer purchaser, in $/watt, of reducing no-load losses while the B factor measures the value, in $/watt, of reducing load losses. The purchase decision model developed by the Department mimics the likely choices that consumers make given the A and B values they assign to the transformer losses.
TABLE IV.2.—FINAL RULE INPUTS FOR THE SHIPMENTS ANALYSIS
Input
NOPR description
Shipments data ...............................
Shipments backcast ........................
Third-party expert (HVOLT) for the year 2001 ......................................
For years 1977–2003, used Bureau of Economic Analysis’ (BEA)
manufacturing data for distribution transformers. Source: https://
www.bea.doc.gov/bea/pn/ndn0304.zip. For years 1950–1976, used
EIA’s electricity sales data. Source: https://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/
aer/txt/stb0805.xls.
Years 2002–2035: Based on AEO2005 ................................................
Shipments forecast .........................
Dry-type/liquid-immersed
market
shares.
Regular replacement market ...........
Elasticities, liquid-immersed ............
Elasticities, dry-type ........................
Changes for final rule
Based on EIA’s electricity sales data and AEO2005 ............................
Based on a survival function constructed from a Weibull distribution
function normalized to produce a 32-year mean lifetime. Source:
ORNL 6804/R1, The Feasibility of Replacing or Upgrading Utility
Distribution Transformers During Routine Maintenance, page D–1.
For liquid-immersed transformers ..........................................................
• Low: 0.00
• Medium: ¥0.04
• High: ¥0.20
For dry-type transformers ......................................................................
• Low: 0.00
• Medium: ¥0.02
• High: ¥0.20
No change.
No change.
Years 2010–2038: Based on
AEO2007.
Based on EIA’s electricity sales
data and AEO2007.
No change.
No change.
No change.
TABLE IV.3.—FINAL RULE INPUTS FOR THE NATIONAL IMPACT ANALYSIS
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Input
NOPR description
Shipments .......................................
Implementation date of standard ....
Base case efficiencies ....................
Annual shipments from shipments model .............................................
Assumed to be 2010 .............................................................................
Constant efficiency through 2035. Equal to weighted-average efficiency in 2010.
Constant efficiency at the specified standard level from 2007 to 2038
Standards case efficiencies ............
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No change.
No change.
No change.
No change.
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TABLE IV.3.—FINAL RULE INPUTS FOR THE NATIONAL IMPACT ANALYSIS—Continued
Input
NOPR description
Annual energy consumption per
unit.
Average rated transformer losses are obtained from the LCC analysis, and are then scaled for different size categories, weighted by
size market share, and adjusted for transformer loading (also obtained from the LCC analysis).
Weighted-average values as a function of efficiency level (from LCC
analysis).
Energy and capacity savings for the two types of transformer losses
are each multiplied by the corresponding average marginal costs
for capacity and energy, respectively, for the two types of losses
(marginal costs are from the LCC analysis).
AEO2005 forecasts (to 2025) and extrapolation for 2038 and beyond
Total installed cost per unit .............
Electricity expense per unit .............
Escalation of electricity prices .........
Electricity site-to-source conversion
Discount rates .................................
Analysis year ...................................
A time series conversion factor; includes electric generation, transmission, and distribution losses. Conversion varies yearly and is
generated by DOE/EIA’s National Energy Modeling System
(NEMS) program.
3% and 7% real .....................................................................................
Equipment and operating costs are discounted to the year of equipment price data, 2004.
A. Market and Technology Assessment
1. General
The methodology DOE followed in
the market and technology assessment
was described in previous notices and is
discussed in TSD Chapter 3. This is the
section of the analysis where DOE
typically discusses issues on the scope
of coverage. DOE received a few
comments on this topic, including
comments regarding mining
transformers, less-flammable liquidimmersed transformers, refurbished
transformers, and the waiver process.
These comments are discussed in the
following sub-sections.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
2. Mining Transformers
The definition of a distribution
transformer and thereby the scope of
coverage of this rulemaking was
finalized in the test procedure final rule,
published on April 27, 2006. 71 FR
24975–24982, 24995–24997. In that
notice, DOE indicated that comments
supporting an exclusion for mining
transformers did not provide sufficient
data and information on mining
transformers to warrant an exclusion or
separate treatment. 71 FR 24980–24981.
In the August 2006 NOPR, DOE
addressed the issue of mining
transformers in the preamble. DOE
decided not to exempt mining
transformers under 42 U.S.C.
6291(35)(B)(iii)(I), noting that DOE
lacked specific information and data on
whether these transformers were likely
to be used in general purpose
applications or whether significant
energy savings would result from
applying standards to them. 71 FR
44365–44366.
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a. Comments Requesting Exemption
DOE received several comments
calling for mining transformers to be
exempt from any national efficiency
standard. The Alaska Miners
Association (AMA), Arch Coal, Brooks
Run Mining (BRM), Control
Transformer, Federal Pacific
Transformer (FPT), HVOLT, NEMA, the
National Mining Association (NMA), the
Ohio Valley Coal Company (OVCC),
Peabody Energy Corporation (PEC),
PEMCO Corporation (PEMCO), and
SMC Electrical Products (SMC), all
called for mining transformers to be
exempt from the national efficiency
standard. These stakeholders identified
a number of reasons for this request,
including safety, minimal impact on
energy savings, appropriateness of the
representative efficiency rating loading
point, and lack of guidance in the test
procedure for measuring the efficiency
of mining transformers that have more
than one secondary output connection.
(AMA, No. 118 at p. 1; Arch Coal, No.
115 at p. 1; BRM, No. 112 at p. 1;
Control Transformer, No. 142 at p. 1;
FPT, No. 102 at pp. 1–3; Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 131; HVOLT,
No. 141 at p. 5; NEMA, No. 125 at p. 3;
NMA, No. 116 at pp. 1–2; OVCC, No.
151 at p. 1; PEC, No. 146 at p. 1;
PEMCO, No. 130 at p. 2; SMC, No. 124
at pp. 1–2) FPT also submitted several
mining transformer designs they
prepared to support its request to
exempt mining transformers from the
standard. (FPT, No. 114 at pp. 1–33)
Howard Industries indicated that it
would agree that mining transformers
should be exempted if such
transformers are ‘‘exactly defined.’’
(Howard, No. 143 at p. 5)
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No change.
No change.
No change.
Used AEO2007 forecasts (to
2025) and extrapolation for 2038
and beyond.
Updated conversion factors from
NEMS.
Results for 4.2% reported in TSD.
Equipment and operating costs
are discounted to year 2006.
NMA and the Ohio Valley Coal
Company (OVCC) commented that
safety was a concern and a reason for
exempting mining transformers from
Federal efficiency standards. NMA
commented that size constraints and the
need to move the transformers as the
mining process advances necessitate
special designs. NMA also stated that
DOE needs to consider safety issues
raised by the need to move transformers
in mining operations. (NMA, No. 116 at
pp. 1–2) OVCC also noted the
importance of mining transformers
being as small as possible, in part to
prevent safety problems as these
transformers have to be moved
frequently. (OVCC, No. 151 at p. 1)
Stakeholders also commented on the
fact that they did not believe significant
energy savings would result from DOE
covering and regulating mining
transformers. (Arch Coal, No. 115 at p.
1) AMA commented that mining
transformers should be excluded based
on the very large impact on the cost of
equipment that will be incurred under
standards and that this exclusion of
mining transformers would have a
minimal impact on energy savings.
(AMA, No. 118 at pp. 1–2) NEMA
commented that mining transformers
account for considerably less than one
percent of all distribution transformers,
and that they are part of the mediumvoltage, dry-type group of distribution
transformers which has far less
significant energy savings opportunities
than liquid-immersed transformers.
(NEMA, No. 125 at p. 3) Federal Pacific
estimated that, annually, the total
market of mining transformers is
approximately 969.1 megavolt-amperes
(MVA), or about 1.15 percent of total
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distribution transformer capacity. (FPT,
No. 102 at p. 2) DOE notes that 969.1
MVA of shipped capacity represents
approximately 20 percent of the
medium-voltage, dry-type distribution
transformer market, of which mining
transformers are a subset.
Arch Coal commented that mining
transformers have large cores, and thus
higher core losses when compared to
general purpose distribution
transformers. This puts mining
transformers at a disadvantage for
achieving efficiency levels measured at
35 percent and 50 percent of rated
nameplate capacity. (Arch Coal, No. 115
at p. 1) SMC Electrical Products
commented that the smaller heights and
lower-than-typical impedance of mining
transformers mean they contain more
core steel and have increased losses
when measured at 50 percent of
nameplate load. (SMC, No. 124 at pp. 1–
2) Control Transformer commented that
mining transformers are usually size
constrained (normally in the height),
and therefore they have higher core
losses than taller (standard)
transformers. The core loss constitutes a
critical portion of the efficiency rating,
and may make the customer’s
dimensional constraints difficult, if not
impossible, to achieve. Control
Transformer also commented that very
often impedance requirements are
placed on these transformers, which
adds another constraint to the design.
(Control Transformer, No. 142 at p. 1)
However, FPT commented at the
workshop that it is possible to make
mining transformers more efficient
without sacrificing size. FPT notes that
problems occur when the standard
levels become really high, but they
believe there might be some standard
level that would be appropriate for
mining transformers. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 253) FPT also
commented that mining transformers
have different loading requirements
than typical distribution transformers,
and their loading requirements are
dependent on the application. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at pp. 245
and 255) HVOLT commented that
mining transformers are used at full
load, and therefore may not be able to
meet certain efficiency levels, when
measured at lower loading points.
(Public Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at
p. 255) PEMCO Corporation estimates
that mining transformers have loading
of 100 percent or better. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 255)
However, one mining company, OVCC,
commented that its transformers are
lightly loaded. It noted that one of its
mines has 30 mega-volt amperes (MVA)
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of dry-type transformer capacity
installed, but only has an electrical
demand of 7 MVA—meaning its
transformers are lightly loaded and
therefore would receive less benefit
from mandatory energy efficiency
standards. (OVCC, No. 151 at p. 1)
Finally, the Department of Justice
(DOJ), commented that it was concerned
that the proposed standard level may
adversely affect competition with
respect to distribution transformers used
in industries, such as underground coal
mining. Consistent with stakeholders
commenting on the proposed rule, DOJ
highlighted the dimensional constraints
imposed on mining transformers due to
the operating environments into which
they are installed. DOJ is concerned that
these constraints contribute to higher
costs than would otherwise be
associated with transformers not subject
to the same dimensional constraints.
DOJ urged DOE to create an exception
for distribution transformers used in
industries with space constraints. (DOJ,
No. 157 at p. 2)
In comments requesting that DOE
provide an exemption for mining
transformers, some comments referred
simply to ‘mining transformers’, while
other comments referred more
specifically to ‘underground mining
transformers.’ Considering the operating
environments of these two types of
distribution transformers, DOE does not
believe that those transformers used in
above-ground or open-pit mining
operations are subject to the same
physical constraints as those
transformers installed in underground
mining operations. DOE understands
that both underground and aboveground mining transformers are
distribution transformers,11 which serve
a distribution function in the electrical
systems of the mines in which they
operate. The critical difference between
these two types of transformers is that
underground mining transformers must
be able to fit into a tight (i.e.,
dimensionally constrained) space while
above-ground mining transformers are
designed to operate on the surface, and
thus are not required to be
manufactured to fit into a tunnel, shaft
or other dimensionally constrained
space. Mining transformers used in
above-ground mining operations have
considerably greater dimensional
flexibility than transformers installed in
underground mining operations.
Therefore, DOE considers mediumvoltage dry-type distribution
11 The definition of the term ‘distribution
transformer’ is discussed in TSD Chapter 3, section
3.2. The definition in the Code of Federal
Regulations (10 CFR section 431.192) is based on
EPCA (42 U.S.C. 6291(35)(A)).
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58201
transformers that are used in aboveground mining operations to be
medium-voltage dry-type distribution
transformers subject to the standards
adopted by today’s rule.
In the analysis for the proposed rule,
DOE did not consider underground
mining transformers as a separate
product class. Rather, they were
considered with all other mediumvoltage dry-type transformers. However,
based on comments received, DOE
recognizes that underground mining
transformers must comply with
dimensional constraints, design
requirements, and safety considerations
that are different from those faced by
other distribution transformers. DOE
concludes that underground mining
transformers have a distinct utility
which limits the energy efficiency
improvement potential possible for such
distribution transformers. While more
efficient underground mining
transformers are technologically
feasible, DOE does not have the data
needed to estimate either the energy
efficiency improvement potential or the
cost of more efficient designs of
underground mining transformers. DOE
reviewed the underground mining
transformer designs submitted (Federal
Pacific, No. 114 at pp. 1–33) and the
comments of a mining transformer
design engineer at the public meeting
(Public Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at
p. 253), and believes that more efficient
underground mining transformer
designs are technologically feasible, but
these comments didn’t provide
information on the extent of
improvement possible. Furthermore,
none of the comments requesting DOE
exempt mining transformers provided
an economic analysis demonstrating
that efficiency standards for such
transformers would not be cost-justified.
Without engineering cost and efficiency
data, DOE was not able to perform an
analysis of the impacts of standards on
underground mining transformers.
Thus, DOE is not able to determine
whether energy conservation standards
for underground mining transformers
are economically justified and would
result in significant energy savings.
Based on the above, DOE concludes that
underground mining transformers are a
class of medium-voltage dry-type
distribution standards, and since DOE
cannot determine whether standards
would meet EPCA’s statutory criteria,
DOE is not setting standards for
underground mining transformers at
this time.
In order that stakeholders understand
which mining transformers are subject
to standards being promulgated today
and which mining transformers would
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be subject to energy efficiency standards
at some future date, DOE incorporated
into today’s rule a definition for
underground mining distribution
transformers. DOE received one
comment from FPT with a draft,
proposed definition which read:
‘‘Mining transformers shall be
considered to be installed underground
in a mine, inside equipment for use in
mines or as a component of equipment
used for underground digging, tunneling
or dredging operations. The nameplate
shall identify transformer for such use
only.’’ (FPT, No. 102 at p. 3) DOE
considered this definition, and
researched technical sources for
alternative definitions, including IEEE
and the Mine Safety and Health
Administration (MSHA), a division of
the Department of Labor. Neither the
IEEE nor MSHA have a definition for an
underground mining distribution
transformer. Based on consideration of
the above comment, DOE adopts the
following definition for an underground
mining distribution transformer:
Underground mining distribution
transformer means a medium-voltage drytype distribution transformer that is built
only for installation in an underground mine
or inside equipment for use in an
underground mine, and that has a nameplate
which identifies the transformer as being for
this use only.
DOE recognizes that this definition for
underground mining distribution
transformers could be refined if DOE
initiates a rulemaking proceeding that
evaluates energy conservation standards
for underground mining distribution
transformers.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
b. Mining Transformer Test Procedure
Comments
Arch Coal commented that mining
transformers often have more than one
secondary connection, and multiple
options for secondary connections,
making it impossible to test using DOE’s
test procedure, which provides no
guidance for testing of multiple
secondary transformers. (Arch Coal, No.
115 at p. 1) SMC noted that DOE’s test
procedure does not indicate how
multiple winding transformers should
be loaded for the test. (SMC, No. 124 at
pp. 1–2) FPT also noted that mining
transformers are normally designed with
multiple secondary windings at
different kVA ratings. FPT indicated
that DOE would need to provide
clarification in the test procedure on the
appropriate overall kVA rating and
efficiency standard that would apply to
these transformers with multiple
secondary windings. (FPT, No. 102 at
pp. 1–2)
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DOE appreciates these comments and
notes that while DOE’s test procedure
contains a test method that can be used
for transformers with multiple
secondary connections, it doesn’t set the
conditions for testing such units. Based
on comments received, DOE
understands that transformers with
multiple secondary connections are
used solely in underground mining
operations. Since underground mining
transformers are not subject to the
standards adopted in today’s final rule,
DOE doesn’t need to amend its test
procedures to address this issue at this
time. Before DOE establishes standards
for underground mining transformers,
DOE will amend the test procedures to
specify the testing conditions for these
units. DOE understands that the energy
efficiency of distribution transformers is
generally related to kVA, and that larger
kVA units generally have a higher
efficiency. DOE could, for example,
require that underground mining
transformers be tested at the secondary
connection that yields the highest kVA
value.
3. Less-Flammable, Liquid-Immersed
Transformers
In the NOPR, DOE solicited comment
on the issue of whether it should
include liquid-immersed distribution
transformers that are less flammable
than most liquid-immersed models in
the same product classes as mediumvoltage, dry-type transformers. In
developing and presenting the NOPR,
DOE placed these less flammable liquidimmersed transformers in product
classes with other liquid-immersed
models, separate from the product
classes for dry-type units (see TSD
Chapter 3 for discussion on product
classes).
Cooper Power Systems commented
that the less-flammable, liquidimmersed transformers are used in the
same applications as medium-voltage,
dry-type transformers and therefore
should be held to the same efficiency
standards. (Public Meeting Transcript,
No. 108.6 at p. 91; Cooper, No. 154 at
p. 2) Howard Industries commented that
less-flammable, liquid-immersed
transformers should not be in the same
product class as medium-voltage, drytype transformers. Howard agrees that
some less-flammable liquid-immersed
transformers are used in some of the
same applications as medium-voltage
dry-type transformers, but many are
used in applications that are not
suitable for dry-type transformers and
therefore would not be competing
against a less efficient product.
(Howard, No. 143 at p. 2)
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DOE believes that the issue raised by
Cooper and Howard is essentially
whether less-flammable, liquidimmersed transformers should be
treated as a separate class of liquidimmersed transformers and held to the
same standard as medium voltage drytype transformers.
EPCA provides DOE direction for
establishing product classes. (42 U.S.C.
6295(q)(1)) In general, when evaluating
and establishing energy efficiency
standards, DOE classifies covered
products into classes by: (a) The type of
energy used; or (b) the capacity or other
performance-related features that affect
consumer utility or efficiency. In the
July 2004 ANOPR, DOE concluded that
the design of the transformer (i.e., drytype or liquid-immersed) was a
performance-related feature which
affects the energy efficiency of the
equipment. 69 FR 45385. Accordingly,
DOE concludes that dry-type and liquidimmersed are separate classes of
transformers. Id. Furthermore, while
less-flammable, liquid-immersed
transformers may have distinct
applications apart from other liquidimmersed transformers, DOE does not
believe the less-flammable cooling fluid
affects the energy efficiency potential of
such transformers compared to liquidimmersed transformers using mineral
oil.12 DOE understands that, depending
on the cooling fluid used, lessflammable, liquid-immersed
transformers can have the same energy
efficiency potential as mineral oil
cooled liquid-immersed transformers.
(See TSD Section 5.3) Furthermore, DOE
believes that all less-flammable, liquidimmersed transformers can meet the
standards adopted today with any of the
less-flammable cooling fluids currently
used. Thus, considering the above, DOE
concludes that less-flammable, liquidimmersed transformers have efficiency
characteristics that are similar to other
liquid-immersed transformers and,
therefore, is not setting separate classes
for less-flammable liquid-immersed
transformers. As a result, lessflammable, liquid-immersed
transformers must meet the same energy
efficiency requirements as other liquidimmersed transformers.
4. Rebuilt or Refurbished Distribution
Transformers
In the August 2006 NOPR, DOE
requested comment on its treatment of
rebuilt or refurbished transformers and
the potential impact on consumers,
manufacturers, and national energy use
12 Currently, mineral oil is the standard cooling
fluid used in liquid-immersed distribution
transformers.
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if these transformers were not covered
by the standard. In the NOPR, DOE
expressed doubt that its authority under
EPCA extends to rebuilt or refurbished
products or equipment. 71 FR 44366–
44367. It also noted that throughout the
program’s history, DOE has not sought
to regulate ‘‘used’’ products that had
been reconditioned or undergone major
repairs. 71 FR 44367. However, DOE
acknowledged that it could be argued
that rebuilt transformers are
‘‘manufactured’’ again when they are
rebuilt, and, therefore, under this
argument, they could be classified as
new distribution transformers subject to
standards.
DOE received numerous comments on
the topic of rebuilt and refurbished
transformers, reflecting a diverse range
of views on this issue. The American
Council for an Energy-Efficient
Economy (ACEEE), BBF & Associates
(BBF), and the Copper Development
Association (CDA) all recommended
that DOE cover and regulate rebuilt
transformers. (ACEEE, No. 127 at p. 10;
BBF, No. 122 at p. 2; CDA, No. 111 at
p. 2) ERMCO, FPT, Howard Industries,
HVOLT, NEMA, and NRDC all
recommended that DOE cover and
regulate both rebuilt and refurbished
transformers. (ERMCO, No. 96 at p. 2;
FPT, No. 102 at p. 3; Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 90; Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 82;
Howard, No. 143 at p. 2; Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at pp. 47, 80, and
87; HVOLT, No. 144 at p. 4; NEMA, No.
125 at p. 3; Public Meeting Transcript,
No. 108.6 at p. 81; NRDC, No. 117 at p.
12)
ACEEE suggested regulating rebuilt
transformers through a phased-in
approach where rebuilt transformers
become covered and regulated at a later
time. (ACEEE, No. 127 at p. 10) NRDC
commented that if DOE determines it
does not have the authority under the
current rule to regulate remanufactured
transformers, then it should establish a
new product class (remanufactured
transformers) to regulate. NRDC
encouraged DOE to regulate refurbished
transformers, perhaps on the basis of
organizing an informal, inclusive,
consensus-seeking process. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 81;
NRDC, No. 117 at p. 12)
NEMA commented that it believes
DOE should establish, in its final rule,
a mechanism to monitor whether rebuilt
or refurbished transformers are being
used as a means to circumvent the
efficiency standard, and stated that DOE
should consider covering and regulating
such units, if necessary. (NEMA, No.
125 at p. 3) The California Energy
Commission (CEC) commented that it
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believes if a transformer is resold into
the marketplace, then it can be
regulated. However, if it is
remanufactured internally, the standard
would not apply. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 82)
The Edison Electric Institute (EEI)
supported DOE’s proposal not to
include used or refurbished
transformers as part of the standard. EEI
stated that EPCA does not include
products that are used, refurbished, or
rebuilt. It commented that any concern
that customers will repair a product
instead of buying a new, standardscompliant product applies to all
regulated products, not just
transformers. Furthermore, EEI noted
that rebuilt transformers are only a
small part of the market. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 79)
National Grid commented that it
believes national standards should not
apply to refurbished or rebuilt
transformers. (NGrid, No. 138 at p. 2)
Southern Company commented that it
agrees DOE does not have the authority
to regulate refurbished transformers.
(Public Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at
p. 64)
DOE has carefully considered its
authority to establish energy
conservation standards for rebuilt and
refurbished distribution transformers in
light of these comments, and, as
discussed below, concludes that its
authority does not extend to rebuilt and
refurbished products. The relevant
statutory provisions are discussed
below, as well as the agency’s rationale
in reaching this conclusion.
Section 332 of EPCA provides that it
shall be unlawful for any manufacturer
or private labeler to distribute in
commerce any new covered product
which is not in conformity with an
applicable energy conservation
standard. (42 U.S.C. 6302(a)(5)
(emphasis added)) 13 Congress made
section 332 applicable to distribution
transformers in section 346(f)(1) of
EPCA. (42 U.S.C. 6317(f)(1)) Section
332(b) defines ‘‘new covered product’’
to mean ‘‘a covered product the title of
which has not passed to a purchaser
who buys such product for purposes
13 DOE only regulates equipment that is either
specifically enumerated as ‘‘covered equipment’’ or
is equipment for which DOE has been granted
authority to regulate in another statutory provision.
Section 346 of EPCA (42 U.S.C. 6317) grants DOE
authority to regulate distribution transformers,
without including the specific language designating
them as ‘‘covered equipment.’’ The failure to
include the words ‘‘covered equipment’’ in Section
346 of EPCA or to include distribution transformers
in Section 340 of EPCA, which lists the covered
equipment in Part C, does not mean that
distribution transformers will not be treated as
‘‘covered equipment’’ for purposes of DOE
exercising its regulatory authority.
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other than (1) reselling such product, or
(2) leasing such product for a period in
excess of one year.’’ (42 U.S.C. 6302(b))
That is, a new covered product is one
for which the title has not passed to a
consumer.14
DOE believes that the definition of
‘‘new covered product’’ in section 332 is
ambiguous on the question of whether
a rebuilt or refurbished distribution
transformer is subject to DOE’s authority
to set energy conservation standards. On
this point, DOE notes that section 332
does not expressly provide that ‘‘new
covered product’’ means a new product
the title of which is transferred by the
original manufacturer to an original
owner. Conversely, the definition of
‘‘new covered product’’ does not
expressly exclude substantially
remanufactured products that are
subsequently resold (i.e., a product sold
or disposed of by the original owner that
is rebuilt or refurbished by an entity
which resells it to another person). In
order to resolve this ambiguity regarding
DOE’s authority to regulate rebuilt and
refurbished distribution transformers,
DOE considered both congressional
intent and the nature of the existing
distribution transformer market.
There is no legislative history that
reflects Congress’s intent. However,
DOE views the way Congress chose to
define ‘‘new covered product’’ in EPCA
as the strongest indicator that the term
was not intended to apply to rebuilt or
refurbished products. Specifically, it is
unlikely that Congress would have
made transfer of ‘‘title’’ the test of
whether a product was ‘‘new’’ if it
intended to cover rebuilt or refurbished
products. The most reasonable
interpretation of the statutory definition
is that Congress intended that this
provision apply to newly manufactured
products the title of which has not
passed for the first time to a consumer
of the product. Such interpretation
provides certainty and clarity for the
regulated entities subject to these
statutory provisions.
In addition, if DOE were to interpret
‘‘new covered product’’ as applying to
other than newly manufactured
products EPCA’s testing and labeling
provisions would be much harder to
implement and enforce. Identifying
‘‘manufacturers’’ under such an
interpretation likely would be
difficult 15 and it also likely would be
14 In the context of this discussion, the term
‘‘consumer’’ is used to identify a product’s end
user; e.g., ‘‘consumer’’ does not include a party that
takes title of a product solely for the purpose of
resale or for leasing the product for less than a year.
15 For example, a business that rebuilds or
remanufactures products, instead of reselling them
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difficult for DOE to distinguish between
rebuilt products that are not covered
and those products that were so
extensively rebuilt as to be considered
‘‘new’’, and therefore subject to these
provisions.
In terms of the existing distribution
transformer market, DOE understands
that rebuilt and refurbished
transformers typically are either: (1) A
product sold by the original
manufacturer or private labeler, which
after purchase by a consumer, is then
modified and resold by another party; or
(2) a product that following purchase by
a consumer is modified and retained by
that consumer. For the above-stated
reasons, DOE concludes that rebuilt and
refurbished distribution transformers
are not ‘‘new covered products’’ under
EPCA, and therefore, are not subject to
DOE’s energy conservation standards or
test procedures.16 With respect to the
first scenario, upon transfer of the title
of the distribution transformer to the
consumer, the distribution transformer
is no longer a new covered product,
therefore, not subject to DOE regulations
even if it is subsequently re-sold.
Similarly, with respect to distribution
transformers that are refurbished or
rebuilt for or by the consumer (i.e., they
are not re-sold), DOE lacks authority
over those transformers because they are
neither ‘‘new’’ covered products nor
distributed in commerce. Furthermore,
if refurbished or rebuilt transformers
that are sold to another party were
covered but not those that are
refurbished or rebuilt for the consumer,
DOE believes this would likely create an
inequity that Congress would not have
intended since a purpose of EPCA was
to establish a single national standard,
not multiple standards for the same
product.
As discussed above, for distribution
transformers in particular, DOE
understands that at present, rebuilt
transformers are only a small part of
today’s market. If conditions change—
for example, if rebuilt transformers
become a larger share of the transformer
market in response to the energy
conservation standards adopted today
(e.g., there is a significant increase in
the purchase of rebuilt or refurbished
transformers), DOE would consider
appropriate action at that time.
and transferring title, could operate as a repair
facility for consumers who already own the used
products. The business would simply rebuild the
product for a fee and return it to the owner; there
would be no transfer of title.
16 DOE notes that de minimis use of used or
recycled parts would not make a ‘‘new product’’
into a used product.
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5. Uninterruptible Power System
Transformers
The Energy Policy Act of 2005
(EPACT 2005) exempted
‘‘Uninterruptible Power System
transformer’’ from the definition of
‘‘distribution transformer.’’ (42 U.S.C.
6291(35)(B)(ii)) DOE indicated when it
adopted the EPACT 2005 efficiency
requirements for low-voltage dry-type
distribution transformers that it believed
the name of this exemption contained a
clerical error. 70 FR 60408 (October 18,
2005). DOE stated in the October 2005
final rule notice that it intended to make
corrections where necessary to the
statutory language, and gave the
following example: ‘‘the definition of
‘‘distribution transformer’’ in section
135(a)(2)(B) of EPACT 2005 uses the
term ‘‘Uninterruptible Power System
transformer’’ instead of
‘‘Uninterruptible Power Supply
transformer.’’ DOE later codified the
name change of UPS from ‘‘System’’ to
‘‘Supply’’ in the distribution
transformer test procedure final rule,
and it noted ‘‘DOE is amending its
definition of distribution transformer to
correct use of * * * UPS transformers
[which] are commonly referred to as
‘‘Uninterruptible Power Supply
transformers,’’ not ‘‘Uninterruptible
Power System transformers.’’ 71 FR
24977 (April 27, 2006).
In the April 2006 final rule notice,
DOE also adopted the following
definition of an ‘‘uninterruptible power
supply transformer’’: ‘‘Uninterruptible
Power Supply transformer means a
transformer that supplies power to an
uninterruptible power system, which in
turn supplies power to loads that are
sensitive to power failure, power sags,
over voltage, switching transients, line
noise, and other power quality factors.’’
71 FR 24997; 10 CFR section 431.192.
This definition, matches the definition
of ‘‘Uninterruptible Power Supply
transformer’’ as published in NEMA TP
2–2005 ‘‘Standard Test Method for
Measuring the Energy Consumption of
Distribution Transformers.’’
In a comment submitted to DOE in
this rulemaking, NEMA expressed its
concern that DOE’s revision of the term
used for this exemption and the
definition of the term, had introduced
some confusion as to the applicability of
this exemption. (NEMA, No. 174 at p. 2)
NEMA requests that DOE change the
name of this exemption from
‘‘Uninterruptible Power Supply
transformer’’ back to the original name,
as it appeared in EPACT 2005—
‘‘Uninterruptible Power System
transformer.’’ (NEMA, No. 174 at p. 2)
NEMA also asked that DOE revise the
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definition associated with
uninterruptible power system
transformers, to clarify that the
exemption applies to transformers
incorporated into uninterruptible power
systems rather than supplying power to
them. (NEMA, No. 174 at p. 2)
In the rulemaking in which it codified
the exclusion of ‘‘Uninterruptible Power
Supply transformer’’ from the definition
of ‘‘distribution transformer,’’ DOE
received no comments about either the
exclusion or use of this term or DOE’s
definition of the term. In the
supplemental notice of proposed
rulemaking (SNOPR) in which it had
proposed the exclusion, DOE stated that
‘‘an uninterruptible power supply
transformer is not a distribution
transformer’’ and that ‘‘[i]t is used as
part of the electric supply system for
sensitive equipment that cannot tolerate
system interruptions or distortions, and
counteracts such irregularities.’’ 69 FR
45505, 45512 (July 29, 2004). DOE sees
no reason to modify the term
‘‘Uninterruptible Power Supply
transformer’’ in its regulations, or to
completely revise its definition of this
term. Nonetheless, DOE recognizes that,
in characterizing an uninterruptible
power supply transformer as one that
‘‘supplies power to’’ an uninterruptible
power system, 10 CFR 431.192, DOE’s
definition may be confusing and slightly
inconsistent with its description in the
SNOPR of this type of transformer.
Therefore, to make the definition
consistent with its expressed intent in
the SNOPR, to which there was no
objection, in today’s rule DOE is
clarifying its definition of
‘‘Uninterruptible Power Supply
transformer’’ by replacing the phrase
‘‘supplies power to’’ with ‘‘is used
within.’’ This modification does not
expand or reduce the intended group of
Uninterruptible Power Supply
transformers that DOE wishes to exempt
from its standard. Rather, this change
provides greater clarity of the scope of
this exemption.
B. Engineering Analysis
For the engineering analysis, which
established the relationship between
cost and efficiency for certain
distribution transformer kVA ratings
considered in this rulemaking, DOE
continued to use transformer design
software developed for the rulemaking
by Optimized Program Service (OPS).
DOE verified the findings of this
software by comparing designs during
manufacturer interviews, and through a
testing and teardown analysis of six
transformers. Chapter 5 of the TSD
contains detailed discussion on the
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methodology followed for the
engineering analysis.
C. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period
Analysis
The LCC is the total customer cost
over the life of the equipment, including
purchase expense and operating costs
(including energy expenditures and
maintenance). To compute the LCC,
DOE summed the installed price of a
transformer and the discounted annual
future operating costs over the lifetime
of the equipment. The PBP is the change
in purchase expense due to an increased
efficiency standard divided by the
change in first-year operating cost that
results from the standard. DOE
expresses PBP in years. The data inputs
to the PBP calculation are the purchase
expense (otherwise known as the total
installed consumer cost or first cost) and
the annual operating costs for each
selected design. The inputs to the
transformer purchase expense are the
equipment price and the installation
cost, with appropriate markups to
reflect price increases as the transformer
passes through the distribution channel.
The inputs to the operating costs are the
annual energy consumption and the
electricity price. The PBP calculation
uses the same inputs as the LCC
analysis but, since it is a simple
payback, the operating cost is for the
year the standard takes effect, assumed
to be 2010.
For each efficiency level DOE
analyzed, the LCC analysis required
input data for the total installed cost of
the equipment, the operating cost, and
the discount rate. Equipment price,
installation cost, and baseline and
standard design selection affect the
installed cost of the equipment.
Transformer loading, load growth,
power factor, annual energy use and
demand, electricity costs, electricity
price trends, and maintenance costs
affect the operating cost. The effective
date of the standard, the discount rate,
and the lifetime of equipment affect the
calculation of the present value of
annual operating cost savings from a
proposed standard.
The following sections contain brief
discussions of comments on the inputs
and key assumptions of DOE’s LCC
analysis and explain how DOE took
these comments into consideration.
1. Inputs Affecting Installed Cost
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a. Installation Costs
Higher efficiency distribution
transformers tend to be larger and
heavier than less efficient designs. DOE
therefore included the increased cost of
installing larger, heavier transformers as
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a component of the first cost of more
efficient transformers. In the NOPR,
DOE presented the installation cost
model and solicited comment from
stakeholders. For details of the
installation cost calculations, see TSD
section 7.3.1.
In response to both the NOPR and the
NODA, many stakeholders commented
that it is important for DOE to take into
consideration the costs and reliability
impacts of installing transformers in
space-constrained situations. ACEEE
recommended that DOE factor into its
calculations space-constraint costs,
based on the percentage of transformers
that will necessitate modification of the
vaults in which they are installed and
the average cost for such modifications.
(Public Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at
pp. 130–131) EEI noted that DOE’s
analysis should include a space
occupancy factor, although it might be
hard to estimate. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 129) In
addition, EEI expressed concern
regarding size and weight implications
for the reliability and cost of the
transformer, especially for TSL4, noting
that, for pole-mounted transformers,
more weight will increase the stress on
poles and noting that manufacturers
doubt that they can produce all
equipment needed at TSL4. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 31)
HVOLT recommended that the analysis
account for volume and weight in a
mathematical equation to account for
space occupancy costs. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 129) NEMA
commented that, with higher standards,
manufacturers may use lower quality
steel and switch from copper to
aluminum, and that this may increase
the weight and/or size of transformers.
(Public Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at
p. 132) Metglas commented that
transformers are smaller and lighter
than those made 30–40 years ago, and
stated that there will not be an issue
with size and weight of amorphous core
transformers. (Metglas, No. 144 at p. 3)
DOE responded to the comments
raised regarding space-constraint
implications for installation costs by
formulating a method and a cost
equation for estimating the economic
impacts of space constraints and issuing
a NODA that solicited comments on the
method and equations proposed for
evaluating such costs. 72 FR 6186–6190.
DOE then performed a subgroup
analysis of space-constrained vault
transformers, for which DOE modeled
potential standards-induced vault
modification costs with an appropriate
equation that included both fixed and
volume-dependent variable
components. The results of this analysis
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are detailed in Chapter 11 of the TSD,
and DOE took these costs into
consideration in the selection of the
standard level for this rule.
b. Baseline and Standard Design
Selection
A major factor in estimating the
economic impact of a proposed standard
is the selection of transformer designs in
the base case and standards case
scenarios. A key issue in the selection
process is the degree to which
transformer purchasers take into
consideration the cost of transformer
losses (A and B factors) when choosing
a transformer (i.e., whether they
‘‘evaluate’’), both before and after the
implementation of a standard. The
purchase-decision model in the LCC
spreadsheet selects which of the
hundreds of designs in the engineering
database are likely to be selected by
transformer purchasers. The LCC
transformer selection process is
discussed in detail in TSD Chapter 8,
section 8.2.
DOE received several comments
regarding the fraction of transformer
purchasers that evaluate distribution
transformer electrical losses before
purchase and how transformer
purchasers evaluate these losses.
HVOLT estimates that 20 percent of the
market for medium-voltage, dry-type
transformers evaluates and places a
value of $3.00/watt on loss evaluation,
while the market share of transformers
meeting TP 1 levels for liquid-immersed
transformers is 75 to 80 percent. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 216)
NEMA commented that 10 years ago
there was a trend where customers
bought cheaper and less efficient
transformers every year due to less loss
evaluation, but that the market has
turned around and now an increasing
percentage of customers are buying the
more efficient TP 1 transformers. NEMA
also noted that the shipments data it has
submitted over the years to DOE have
shown this changing trend. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 220;
NEMA, No. 125 at p. 3)
In response to these comments, DOE
developed its baseline market model
using the most detailed and reliable data
available. This included data that
NEMA supplied providing TP 1
transformer market shares, in addition
to publicly available data regarding
evaluation parameters used by
distribution transformer purchasers. For
the final rule, DOE set average A and B
values of 3.85 and 1.16 $/watt
respectively for design lines 1, 2 and 4,
and average A and B values of 3.85 and
1.93 $/watt for design lines 3 and 5.
These slight adjustments to the
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evaluation parameters for the small
transformers (i.e., design lines 1, 2, and
4) versus the large transformers (i.e.,
design lines 3 and 5) were made because
these two types of transformers have
different load profiles, which
necessitate different loss valuations.
DOE determined the loss valuation
variation for small versus large
transformers through its analysis of
publicly available data on loss
valuations which indicated differences
as a function of transformer capacity.
Estimation of the A and B values is
discussed in detail in TSD Chapter 8,
section 8.3.1.
2. Inputs Affecting Operating Costs
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a. Transformer Loading
Transformer loading is an important
factor in determining which types of
transformer designs will deliver a
specified efficiency, and for calculating
transformer losses. Transformer losses
have two components: no-load losses
and load losses. No-load losses are
independent of the load on the
transformer, while load losses depend
approximately on the square of the
transformer loading. Because load losses
increase with the square of the loading,
there is a particular concern that, during
times of peak system load, load losses
can impact system capacity costs and
reliability. For the final rule, DOE made
a slight technical adjustment to the
loading model for liquid-immersed
transformers by relying on the more
comprehensive 1995 Commercial
Building Energy Consumption Survey
data for the relationship between peak
and average loads as a function of
transformer size rather than the older,
regionally specific End-Use Load and
Consumer Assessment Program data
used in the NOPR analysis. TSD Chapter
6 provides details of DOE’s transformer
loading models.
Stakeholders appeared to generally
agree with DOE’s technical approach to
evaluating loading, although HVOLT
commented that DOE should
mathematically evaluate the loading of
single-phase and three-phase
transformers the same way. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 151)
Because of greater load diversity and
based on an analysis of building load
data described in Chapter 6 of the TSD,
DOE generally estimated the loading on
larger transformers as greater than the
loading for smaller transformers,
although DOE did in this rule set
efficiency levels for single-phase and
three-phase transformers as equal when
the capacity per phase for the two
different types of transformers is equal.
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b. Load Growth
c. Electricity Costs
The LCC takes into account the
projected operating costs for
distribution transformers many years
into the future. This projection requires
an estimate of how, if at all, the
electrical load on transformers will
change over time (i.e., load growth). In
the NOPR analysis, for dry-type
transformers, DOE assumed no load
growth, while for liquid-immersed
transformers, DOE used as the default
scenario a one-percent-per-year load
growth. It applied the load growth factor
to each transformer beginning in 2010,
the expected effective date of the
standard. To explore the LCC sensitivity
to variations in load growth, DOE
included in the model the ability to
examine scenarios with zero percent,
one percent, and two percent load
growth. Load growth is discussed in
detail in TSD Chapter 8, section 8.3.6.
DOE received substantial comment
regarding its load growth assumptions.
CDA commented that it is entirely
reasonable to deduce that peak power
per dwelling increases, and thus
transformer loading also increases over
time, as people add home theaters,
home offices, appliances, and air
conditioning to existing dwellings.
(CDA, No. 111 at p. 2) EEI commented
that load growth on transformers may be
from zero to half of a percent per year.
(Public Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at
pp. 147–148) HVOLT commented that
after transformers are installed in a
residential area with a complement of
houses, the load basically stagnates.
(Public Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at
p. 145) Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)
commented that it assumes three
percent growth over the total 30 year life
of a transformer corresponding to a
growth rate of one tenth of one percent
per year. (Public Meeting Transcript,
No. 108.6 at pp. 149–150) Southern
Company commented that, for the
transformer installed in the field, it sees
no significant growth once a transformer
is installed. (Public Meeting Transcript,
No. 108.6 at p. 144)
For the final rule, DOE responded to
comments by examining more recent
data relevant to customer load growth.
Since AEO forecasts indicate that energy
use per capita will be approximately
constant over time due to trends of
increasing end-use efficiency, DOE set
the load growth parameter for the main
analysis scenario as zero percent per
year for both dry-type and liquidimmersed transformers. However, DOE
retained the one-percent-per-year load
growth scenario as a sensitivity analysis.
DOE needed estimates of electricity
prices and costs to place a value on
transformer losses for the LCC
calculation. DOE created two sets of
electricity prices to estimate annual
energy expenses for its analysis: an
hourly-based estimate of wholesale
electricity costs for the liquid-immersed
transformer market, and a tariff-based
estimate for the dry-type transformer
market (see TSD Chapter 8).
DOE received a few comments
regarding electricity cost estimation.
HVOLT estimated that generation costs
of electricity have been in the four to six
cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) range.
(Public Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at
p. 197) ACEEE commented that roughly
half the cost of electricity is due to
generation, while the other half is
transmission and distribution and other
expenses. (Public Meeting Transcript,
No. 108.6 at p. 204) Southern Company
commented that DOE’s hourly marginal
electricity price model looks
conceptually correct, but that there are
many variables and it is possible to
argue about every one of them (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at pp.
205–206).
DOE compared these comments with
the estimates of its electricity cost
model and determined that these
comments and suggestions were
consistent with the electricity cost
model and estimates in the NOPR
analysis. DOE therefore used the same
cost model for the final rule with minor
adjustments to take into account
inflation and more recent data.
Electricity cost estimates are discussed
in detail in TSD Chapter 8, section 8.3.5.
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d. Electricity Price Trends
For the relative change in electricity
prices in future years, DOE relied on
price forecasts from the Energy
Information Administration (EIA)
Annual Energy Outlook (AEO). For the
NOPR, DOE used price forecasts from
the AEO2005. The application of
electricity price trends in the final rule
analysis is discussed in detail in TSD
Chapter 8, section 8.3.7.
In response to the NOPR, DOE
received a large number of comments
regarding electricity price forecasts.
ACEEE recommended that DOE look at
a range of forecasts, since EIA seems to
be at the low end of the range. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 203)
In its written comments, ACEEE asked
that, at a minimum, DOE use projections
from AEO 2007, and suggested that DOE
use the average of a basket of forecasts.
(ACEEE, No. 127 at p. 3) EMS
Consulting, the Northwest Power and
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Conservation Council (NPCC), and
NRDC also recommended that DOE use
a wider range of price forecasts. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at pp.
199–210) CDA commented that
electricity prices will not be declining
in future years since shortcomings in
the generation and transmission systems
will become apparent. (CDA, No. 111 at
p. 2) EEI commented that DOE did a
reasonable job, based on the information
in its NOPR TSD, and that in some years
electricity prices actually go down in
real terms. (Public Meeting Transcript,
No. 108.6 at pp. 201 and 211) HVOLT
commented that it expects prices to
increase at a stable, even keel over the
next 20 years. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 210)
For the final rule, DOE updated the
price forecast to AEO2007 and
examined in increased detail the
sensitivity of analysis results to changes
in electricity price trends and other
parameters. Appendix 8D of the TSD
provides an expanded sensitivity
analysis for all five liquid-immersed
transformer design lines and the
medium-voltage dry-type with the
largest volume of transformer capacity
shipments in the market, DL12. This
analysis shows that the effect of changes
in electricity price trends, compared to
changes in other analysis inputs, is
relatively small. DOE evaluated a
variety of potential sensitivities, and the
robustness of analysis results with
respect to the full range of sensitivities,
in weighing the potential benefits and
burdens of the final rule.
e. Natural Gas Price Impacts
Even though distribution transformers
use electricity rather than natural gas for
their energy supply, several comments
expressed concerns that DOE’s NOPR
analyses might be neglecting indirect
energy impacts of standards on natural
gas demand and prices. The Alliance to
Save Energy (ASE) commented that the
natural gas market is extremely tight
primarily due to increased use of
natural gas to produce electricity, and
this has led to incredible volatility in
prices. (Public Meeting Transcript, No.
108.6 at p. 59) The American Chemistry
Council (ACC) asked DOE to consider
the impacts on the natural gas market in
selecting the final standard. (ACC, No.
132 at p. 2) Dow Chemical Company
commented that, if DOE considers the
impact of standards on the U.S. natural
gas market and prices, then higher
levels can be further substantiated.
(Dow Chemical, No. 129 at pp. 1–2)
NRDC commented that energy efficiency
in transformers can bring down natural
gas prices by reducing the demand on
gas as a generation fuel. It further
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commented that this can have a major
benefit in reducing natural gas prices to
all users, not merely users of
transformers. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 57; NRDC,
No. 117 at p. 7)
DOE examined the potential size of
the impact of distribution transformer
standards on natural gas demand in its
updated utility impact analysis, and
reported the impact of the standard by
generation type in Chapter 13 of the
TSD. DOE performed the updated
analysis based on AEO2006,17 which
includes a forecast of relatively high
natural gas prices compared to earlier
DOE forecasts. (See TSD Chapter 13) In
this utility impact forecast with high
natural gas prices, most of the electricity
saved from the standard comes from
coal-generated electricity. In addition,
DOE’s hourly marginal price analysis
already incorporates the impact of
volatile and high marginal natural gas
prices in the marginal price of
electricity that DOE uses in its analysis.
One way that changes in demand can
impact average prices in a market as a
whole is when the marginal demand of
a commodity does not pay the full
marginal cost of supply; then prices in
the market as a whole must rise to
balance costs in the market as a whole.
In DOE’s analysis of electricity prices
for distribution transformers, DOE
attempted to include the full marginal
cost of supply for electricity including
the effect of high, volatile natural gas
prices by using volatile real-time
electricity prices. Real-time electricity
prices are strongly influenced by the
real-time marginal cost of natural gas
when gas turbines are supplying
electricity to the market. Since DOE
already includes the effect of volatile
marginal natural gas prices in its
electricity price analysis through realtime electricity prices, and since a
relatively small fraction of the
electricity saved over the long term is
forecast from natural gas generation,
DOE did not give additional
consideration to the impact on natural
gas prices in this rulemaking.
17 While the AEO2007 electricity price forecast
data was available in time for preparation of this
final rule, the full AEO2007 forecast was not
available at the time DOE performed the utility and
environmental impact analysis. DOE therefore used
AEO2006 for the utility and environmental
analysis. Following completion of the utility and
environmental analysis and after the full AEO 2007
became available, DOE compared the AEO2006 and
AEO2007 and found the forecasts of electricity
prices, the marginal generation mix and emissions
factors in the AEO2007 and AEO2006 forecasts
were very similar. The two forecasts provide the
same marginal fractions of coal and natural gas
generation (within 3.5%), and have marginal CO2
emission factors that differ by less than 2%.
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3. Inputs Affecting Present Value of
Annual Operating Cost Savings
a. Standards Implementation Date
In the August 2006 NOPR, DOE
proposed that the standards for
distribution transformers apply to all
units manufactured on or after January
1, 2010. 71 FR 44407. DOE calculated
the LCC for customers as if each new
distribution transformer purchase
occurs in the year manufacturers must
comply with the standard.
Some stakeholders suggested that
DOE could implement a two-tier
standard with two effective dates. In
response to the NODA, a group of
stakeholders consolidated their
comments by creating a joint proposal
in this regard. ACEEE, NRDC, EEI, ASE,
the American Public Power Association
(APPA), the Appliance Standards
Awareness Project (ASAP), and the
Northeast Energy Efficiency
Partnerships (NEEP) recommended in
their joint proposal that DOE adopt
TSL2 in 2009 and TSL4 in 2013. (Joint
Comment) They recommended the
delay in implementation of TSL4 so that
technical manufacturing problems could
be addressed. (Joint Comment, No. 158
at p. 2) On July 30, 2007, DOE received
a letter from two Senators urging DOE
to adopt the Joint Comment.18
(Bingaman and Domenici, No. 191 at p.
1) Howard commented that it is strongly
opposed to moving the effective date of
the standard to January 1, 2009, because
it will need to perform an enormous
amount of engineering and design work
to meet the new levels. (Howard, No.
180 at p. 4) NEMA commented that it
does not believe the proposed
compliance date of January 1, 2009 for
TSL2 is achievable because transformer
designs are already in development now
for delivery after January 1, 2009.
NEMA requests that the compliance
date be moved to January 1, 2010.
(NEMA, No. 174 at p. 2) Southern
Company commented that it supports a
two-tiered standard of TSL2 in 2009 and
TSL4 in 2013 with a technical
conference in 2010 to make any
necessary adjustments to the year 2013
level. (Southern, No. 178 at p. 1, 9)
DOE rejects the two-tiered approach
with TSL4 as the level of the second tier
for two reasons: DOE found that TSL4
is not economically justified as
described in section VI.1.d of this
notice, and therefore rejected TSL4.
Second, DOE does not have the
authority to amend standards outside a
18 Letter from Senator Jeff Bingaman and Senator
Pete Domenici, to Samuel Bodman, Secretary of
Energy (July 30, 2007).
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rulemaking proceeding.19 If DOE were
to set a two-tier standard, with one tier
at TSL4, DOE would not be able to roll
it back at a later date because of the antibacksliding provision of EPCA. DOE is
expressly prohibited from lowering
standards once they have been
established. (42 U.S.C. 6295 (o)(1),
Natural Resources Defense Council v.
Abraham, 355 F. 3d 179, 195–197 (2nd
Cir. 2004)) Accordingly, DOE rejects the
proposal to adopt a two-tiered approach
with potential to amend the standard
during a technical conference and,
instead is adopting a set of energy
conservation standards with an
implementation date of January 1, 2010,
in today’s final rule.
b. Discount Rate
The discount rate is the rate at which
future expenditures are discounted to
estimate their present value. It is the
factor that determines the relative
weight of first costs and operating costs
in the LCC calculation. Consumers
experience discount rates in their dayto-day lives either as interest rates on
loans or as rates of return on
investments. Another characterization
of the discount rate is the ‘time value of
money.’ The value of a dollar today is
one plus the discount rate times the
value of a dollar a year from now. DOE
estimated a statistical distribution of
commercial consumer discount rates
that varied by transformer type by
calculating the cost of capital for the
different types of transformer owners
(see TSD Chapter 8).
In response to the NOPR, DOE
received specific comments regarding
its methods for calculating discount
rates. EEI commented that some utility
companies may have lower credit
ratings due to rate decisions that can
increase the cost of capital to between
7 and 12 percent real. (Public Meeting
Transcript, 108.6 at pp. 123–124) NRDC
made a number of specific comments
regarding the parameters DOE used in
its equation to estimate the cost of
capital, suggesting that DOE erred in
estimating the reference risk-free
discount rate, and in estimating average
values of inflation and cost of equity
capital. (NRDC, No. 117 at pp. 8–9)
DOE has a two-step approach in
calculating discount rates for analyzing
consumer economic impacts. The first
step is to assume that the actual
consumer cost of capital approximates
the appropriate consumer discount rate.
The second step is to use the use the
19 DOE’s authority to set standards for
distribution transformers, by rulemaking, is set
forth in 42 U.S.C. 6317(a)(2). DOE is required to
follow the procedures in 42 U.S.C. 6295(p) for this
rulemaking proceeding. (42 U.S.C. 6316(a))
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capital asset pricing model (CAPM) to
calculate the equity capital component
of the consumer discount rate. Neither
stakeholder disagreed with DOE’s
general approach of estimating
consumer discount rates from the cost of
capital. NRDC asserted that DOE was
using incorrect parameters when it
calculated the consumer cost of equity
capital with the CAPM. DOE uses
information from the Federal Reserve
when it determines which parameters
are correct for use in the CAPM. The
Federal Reserve solicited input in 2005
from a range of stakeholders specifically
on how to perform CAPM cost of capital
calculations and considered input from
a range of stakeholders in determining
the best parameter values to use in the
CAPM. 70 FR 29512–29526 (May 23,
2005). Specifically, DOE rejects NRDC’s
assertion that the long-term average of
the rate of return on short-term Treasury
notes is the only correct way to
calculate the risk free interest rate
because this is not consistent with the
information from the Federal Reserve
which accepts long term averages of
both short-term and long-term Treasury
note rates for use in the CAPM. DOE
added a discount rate sensitivity feature
to its consumer economic impact
analysis tools to examine the sensitivity
of the analysis results to the details of
DOE’s capital cost estimates. More
detail regarding DOE’s estimates of
commercial consumer discount rates is
provided in section 8.3.8 of the TSD.
c. Temperature Rise, Reliability, and
Lifetime
In response to the NOPR, DOE
received many comments regarding
whether or not more efficient
distribution transformers would have
longer lifetimes and whether this would
be both a reliability and an economic
benefit that could accrue from
standards.
ACC, ASAP, CEC, Dow Chemical
Company, the North American Electric
Reliability Corporation (NERC), 23
members of the U.S. House of
Representatives, and two members of
the U.S. Senate urged DOE to take into
consideration transformer operating
temperatures and the impact that this
may have on transformer lifetime and
reliability. (ACC, No. 132 at p. 2; Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 175;
Public Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at
p. 60; Dow, No. 129 at p. 2; NERC, No.
133 at p. 1; U.S. Congress, No. 125 at p.
1; U.S. Senate, No. 120 at p. 1) Several
stakeholders, including EMS Consulting
and Metglas, asserted that lower
operating temperatures may double or
quadruple the life of transformers.
(Public Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at
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pp. 172 and 186; Metglas, No. 144 at p.
6) Others, including Central Moloney,
Inc., PG&E, HVOLT, and Southern
Company, commented that they
expected lower operating temperatures
to have potentially little or no impact on
transformer lifetimes in practice because
designs and loading practices would
adjust to maintain current operating
temperatures and lifetimes. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at pp.
187, 174, 168, and 171) ACEEE, ASAP,
and an individual stakeholder all
commented that DOE can and should
calculate the impacts of a higher
efficiency standard on transformer
lifetimes and should include these
impacts in its consumer benefit
calculations. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at pp. 40–41;
ASAP, No. 104 at p. 1; Zahn, No. 119
at p. 7)
DOE evaluated the possibility of
estimating the effects of efficiency on
transformer lifetime and reliability, and
the likely accuracy of such estimates.
DOE first calculated the average
temperature rise and operating
temperature of the transformer designs
at each of the TSLs considered in
today’s final rule. These average
temperature rises are presented in TSD
Appendix 8G.
From its review of transformer
engineering references, DOE agrees that
if the only difference between more and
less efficient transformers is that more
efficient transformers have lower
operating temperatures, then the
lifetime of more efficient transformers
may increase because the electrical
insulation within the transformer may
last longer. But given the full range of
factors that can affect transformer life
and reliability, DOE cannot determine at
this time that decreasing temperature
due to efficiency improvements will
cause high efficiency transformers to
have increased transformer lifetimes on
average compared to lower efficiency
transformers. There are many
differences between more and less
efficient transformers in addition to
temperature rise, and there are many
failure modes for a transformer in
addition to insulation degradation. More
efficient transformers tend to be larger
and heavier, and for pole-mounted
transformers this may increase the
likelihood of weather-related and
support-structure failures. Thus, higher
efficiency transformers may at times
have lower lifetimes than lower
efficiency transformers. Many
transformers fail due to corrosion,
lightning, and animal-related short
circuits. In addition, many transformers
are replaced during distribution system
upgrades or after a certain age, not due
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to insulation degradation failure.
Therefore, the fraction of transformers
that have longer service lifetimes when
insulation degradation rates are slow
may be small. Furthermore, the most
significant decrease in transformer
temperatures occurs with amorphous
core designs, with the potential lifetime
extension benefits likely to be seen after
25–35 years of service. DOE does not
have at its disposal or know of the
existence of data that demonstrate an
actual increase in the lifetime of
amorphous core transformers in this age
range.
DOE already includes in its analysis
the economic benefits of reliability from
more efficient transformers due to
decreased peak loading. It includes a
reliability margin cost in generation,
transmission and distribution capacity
costs that are included in the marginal
capacity cost estimates for both the LCC
analysis and the national impact
analysis (NIA). As such, DOE fully
includes the decreased reliability
capacity costs resulting from standards
in its benefits calculations. Electricity
cost estimates, which include capacity
and reliability costs, are discussed in
detail in TSD Chapter 8, section 8.3.5.
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D. National Impact Analysis—National
Energy Savings and Net Present Value
Analysis
The NIA evaluates the impact of a
proposed standard from a national
perspective rather than from the
consumer perspective represented by
the LCC. When DOE evaluates a
proposed standard from a national
perspective, it must consider several
other factors that are different from, or
not included in, the LCC analysis. One
of the factors DOE modeled in the NIA
was the replacement of existing, less
efficient transformers with more
efficient transformers over time. DOE
estimated this rate of replacement using
an equipment shipments model that
describes the sale of transformers for
replacement and for inclusion in new
electrical distribution system
infrastructure. A second factor included
in the NIA was a discount rate. Since
the national cost of capital may differ
from the consumer cost of capital, the
discount rate used in the NIA can be
different from that used in the LCC. The
third factor DOE included in the NIA
was the difference between the energy
savings obtained by the consumer and
the energy savings obtained by the
Nation. Because of the effect of
distribution and generation losses, the
national energy savings from a proposed
standard are larger than the sum of the
individual consumers’ energy savings.
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The details of DOE’s NIA are provided
in Chapters 9 and 10 of the TSD.
DOE received comment on two issues
related to discount rates in response to
the NOPR concerning the NIA analysis.
The first was the selection of the
discount rate that is best for evaluating
the NPV benefits to the country, and the
second was the process of applying a
discount rate to energy savings and
emissions. In addition, there were
comments regarding the need for DOE to
account for other national benefits, such
as potential decreases in natural gas
prices and increased electrical system
reliability. These natural gas price and
electrical system reliability impacts are
discussed above in the description of
the LCC methodology and comments in
section IV.C.2.e and at the end of
section IV.C.3.c, respectively.
1. Discount Rate
a. Selection and Estimation Method
In response to the NOPR, DOE
received a range of comments with
respect to the discount rate to use in
evaluating national benefits. ACEEE and
Metglas recommended that DOE use a
discount rate of 4.2 percent and 4.25
percent, respectively. (ACEEE, No. 127
at p. 1; Metglas, No. 144 at p. 4) ASAP
and NRDC recommended that DOE use
the three percent discount rate in
evaluating national impacts. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 120;
NRDC, No. 117 at p. 9) NRDC further
commented that the long-term average
rate of return on government bonds is
1.2 percent real. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at pp. 124–125)
EEI commented that commercial
customers seek a 20- or 25-percent
nominal discount rate for returns.
(Public Meeting Transcript, No 108.6 at
p. 122) Finally, Southern Company
noted that seven percent nominal is
close to their cost of capital, and
commented that excessive transformer
investments are likely to displace more
productive distribution system
investments in other parts of the
company. (Public Meeting Transcript,
No. 108.6 at pp. 120–121)
DOE follows OMB guidance in the
selection of the discount rate for
evaluating national benefits. OMB
Circular A–4 provides clear guidance to
DOE directing it to use discount rates of
seven percent and three percent in
evaluating the impacts of regulations.
To address comments, DOE also
reported results for the 4.2 percent
discount rate in Appendix 10A of the
TSD for this rulemaking. In selecting the
discount rate corresponding to a public
investment, OMB directs agencies to use
‘‘the real Treasury borrowing rate on
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58209
marketable securities of comparable
maturity to the period of analysis.’’
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) Circular No. A–94, ‘‘Guidelines
and Discount Rates for Benefit-Cost
Analysis of Federal Programs,’’ dated
October 29, 1992, section 8.c.1.
b. Discounting Energy and Emissions
In the NOPR, DOE reported both
undiscounted and discounted energy
savings and emissions impacts and
invited comment on the appropriateness
of the discount rates used. 71 FR 44407.
CEC commented that DOE should not
use or report discounted emissions.
(Public Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at
p. 109) EEI commented that discounted
emissions and energy savings are an
interesting point of information, but
DOE should determine the standard
based on the absolute numbers. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 111)
NRDC objected to discounting emissions
and would advocate for a zero percent
discount rate for emissions. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at pp.
113–114) Southern Company
commented that discounting future
sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions would be
similar to discounting the future price
or value of gold, which would depend
on the projected price in the future,
which will almost always be larger (not
smaller) than the current price. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 121)
Consistent with Executive Order
12866, ‘‘Regulatory Planning and
Review,’’ 58 FR 51737, DOE follows the
guidance of OMB regarding
methodologies and procedures for
regulatory impact analysis that affect
more than one agency. In reporting
energy and environmental benefits from
energy conservation standards, DOE
will report both discounted and
undiscounted (i.e., zero discount-rate)
values.
E. Commercial Consumer Subgroup
Analysis
In analyzing the potential impacts of
new or amended standards, DOE
evaluates impacts on identifiable groups
(i.e., subgroups) of customers, such as
different types of businesses, which may
be disproportionately affected by a
national standard. For this rulemaking,
DOE identified rural electric
cooperatives and municipal utilities as
transformer consumer subgroups that
could be disproportionately affected,
and examined the impact of proposed
standards on these groups. The
consumer subgroup analysis is
discussed in detail in TSD Chapter 11.
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F. Manufacturer Impact Analysis
For the MIA, DOE introduced one
change to the methodology it described
in the NOPR. In the proposed rule, DOE
captured the costs of conversion, by
manufacturers of liquid-immersed
transformers, to production of
amorphous core transformers at TSL6
(all DLs) and TSL5 (DL3 through DL5).
For the final rule analysis and its
associated material pricing assumptions,
DOE’s LCC customer choice model
indicates that manufacturers would also
produce significant volumes of
amorphous core transformers at TSL3,
TSL4, and TSLA. For TSL3 and TSL4,
the model indicates that 95 percent of
all transformers in DL4 would be
constructed from amorphous core
technology. Similarly, for TSLA, 49
percent of DL4 transformers and 84
percent of DL5 transformers would be
amorphous core transformers. For the
final rule, DOE modeled this partial
conversion to amorphous core
construction for TSL3, TSL4, and TSLA
(with no change to the proposed rule
methodology for TSL5 and TSL6).
G. Employment Impact Analysis
Indirect employment impacts from
distribution transformer standards
consist of the net jobs created or
eliminated in the national economy,
other than in the manufacturing sector
being regulated. These indirect
employment impacts are a consequence
of: (1) Reduced spending by end users
on energy (electricity, gas—including
liquefied petroleum gas—and oil); (2)
reduced spending on new energy supply
by the utility industry; (3) increased
spending on the purchase price of new
distribution transformers; and (4) the
effects of those three factors throughout
the economy. DOE expects the net
monetary savings from standards to be
redirected to other forms of economic
activity. DOE also expects these shifts in
spending and economic activity to affect
the demand for labor.
DOE did not receive stakeholder
comments on its net national
employment estimation methodology.
DOE therefore retained the same
methodology that it used in the NOPR.
For more details on the employment
impact analysis, see TSD Chapter 14.
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H. Utility Impact Analysis
The utility impact analysis estimates
the impacts that the energy savings from
a standard has on the nation’s energy
production and distribution
infrastructure. These impacts include
the change in fuel consumed by fuel
type, and the change in generation
capacity by generator type.
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DOE analyzed the effects of standards
on electric utility industry generation
capacity and fuel consumption using a
variant of EIA’s NEMS. NEMS, which is
available in the public domain, is a
large, multi-sectoral, partial-equilibrium
model of the U.S. energy sector that
estimates the economic supply and
demand balance between the energy
sector and other sectors of the U.S. and
international economies from year to
year. The EIA uses NEMS to produce
the AEO, a widely recognized baseline
energy forecast for the U.S. DOE uses a
variant known as NEMS–BT for the
appliance and equipment standards
rulemakings. (See TSD Chapter 13).
Since DOE did not receive comments on
the utility impact analysis methods in
response to the NOPR, DOE made no
adjustments to the methodology for the
final rule analysis.
For the proposed rule, DOE used
AEO2005 as input to the utility analysis,
which DOE updated to AEO2006 for
this analysis. As in the proposed rule,
the utility impact analysis was
conducted as policy deviations from the
AEO 20 applying the same basic set of
assumptions. For example, the operating
characteristics (e.g., energy conversion
efficiency and emissions rates) of future
electricity generating plants are as
specified in the AEO2006 Reference
Case, as are the prospects for natural gas
supply. The utility impact analysis
reports the changes in installed
generation capacity and changes in enduse electricity sales that result from
each TSL.
I. Environmental Analysis
DOE determined the environmental
impacts of the proposed standards.
Specifically, DOE calculated the
reduction in power plant emissions of
carbon dioxide (CO2), SO2, NOX, and
mercury (Hg), using the NEMS–BT
computer model. The environmental
assessment published with the TSD,
however, does not include the estimated
reduction in power plant emissions of
SO2 because, as discussed below, any
such reduction resulting from an
efficiency standard would not affect the
20 While the AEO2007 electricity price forecast
data was available in time for preparation of this
final rule, the full AEO2007 forecast was not
available at the time DOE performed the utility and
environmental impact analysis. DOE therefore used
AEO2006 for the utility and environmental
analysis. Following completion of the utility and
environmental analysis and after the full AEO 2007
became available, DOE compared the AEO2006 and
AEO2007 and found the forecasts of electricity
prices, the marginal generation mix and emissions
factors in the AEO2007 and AEO2006 forecasts
were very similar. The two forecasts provide the
same marginal fractions of coal and natural gas
generation (within 3.5%), and have marginal CO2
emissions factors that differ by less than 2%.
PO 00000
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overall level of SO2 emissions in the
U.S.
NEMS–BT is run similarly to the
AEO2006 NEMS, except that in NEMS–
BT distribution transformer energy
usage is reduced by the amount of
energy (by fuel type) saved due to the
proposed TSLs. DOE obtained the input
of energy savings from the NES
spreadsheet. For the environmental
analysis, the output is the forecasted
physical emissions. The net benefit of
the standard is the difference between
emissions estimated by NEMS–BT and
the AEO2006 Reference Case. While
DOE used AEO2007 for electricity price
forecasts, the most recent version of
NEMS–BT available to DOE for the
environmental and utility analysis was
based on AEO2006. As discussed above,
DOE found that the differences between
the marginal generation mix and
emissions factors between AEO2007 and
AEO2006 forecasts are very small which
implies that generation, fuel
consumption and emissions estimates
will have a similarly small relative
difference between AEO2007 and
AEO2006. Therefore DOE performed no
further updates to the environmental
and utility analyses for the final rule
analysis beyond the AEO2006 results.
(See TSD Chapter 13)
NEMS–BT tracks CO2 emissions using
a detailed module that provides robust
results because of its broad coverage of
all sectors and inclusion of economic
interactions between sectors that can
impact emissions. DOE based the NOX
reductions on forecasts of compliance
with the Clean Air Interstate Rule
recently promulgated by EPA. 69 FR
25184 (May 5, 2004); 69 FR 32684 (June
10, 2004); and 70 FR 25162 (May 12,
2005). In the case of SO2, the Clean Air
Act Amendments of 1990 set an
emissions cap on all power generation.
The attainment of this target, however,
is flexible among generators and is
enforced by applying market forces,
through the use of emissions allowances
and tradable permits. As a result,
accurate simulation of SO2 trading tends
to imply that the effect of efficiency
standards on physical emissions will be
near zero because emissions will always
be at, or near, the ceiling. Thus, there is
virtually no real possible SO2
environmental benefit from electricity
savings as long as there is enforcement
of the emissions ceilings. See the
environmental assessment, a separate
report within the TSD, for a discussion
of these issues.
In response to the NOPR, DOE
received comments regarding the
potential economic benefits of
emissions reductions. ACEEE
commented that the EIA forecast does
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not factor in any potential cost due to
addressing CO2 emissions, and that this
may lead to an underestimate of the
potential economic benefits of CO2
emissions reductions resulting from
standards. (Public Meeting Transcript,
No. 108.6 at pp. 42–43) CEC also
commented that DOE did not include
potential economic benefits and costs of
CO2 emissions in its electricity price
forecast.
DOE did not include estimates of the
economic benefits of CO2 emissions
reductions because of uncertainties in
the forecast of the economic value of
such emissions reductions. DOE instead
provides fairly detailed reporting of the
physical emissions reductions in the
environmental assessment report in the
TSD so that they can be evaluated as a
separate environmental benefit in the
selection of an energy conservation
standard. Details are provided in the
environmental assessment report in the
TSD.
V. Discussion of Other Comments
Since DOE opened the docket for this
rulemaking, it has received more than
170 comments from a diverse set of
parties, including manufacturers and
their representatives, States, energy
conservation advocates, and electric
utilities. Comments DOE received in
response to the NOPR, on the soundness
and validity of the methodologies DOE
used, are discussed in section IV. Other
stakeholder comments in response to
the NOPR addressed the burdens and
benefits associated with new energy
conservation standards, the information
DOE used in its analyses, results of and
inferences drawn from the analyses,
impacts of standards, the merits of the
different TSLs and standards options
DOE considered, other issues affecting
adoption of standards for distribution
transformers, and the DOE rulemaking
process. DOE addresses these other
stakeholder comments in response to
the NOPR below.
A. Information and Assumptions Used
in Analyses
1. Engineering Analysis
DOE received comments on the
engineering analysis in four areas:
primary voltage sensitivities, material
prices, amorphous material prices, and
material availability.
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a. Primary Voltage Sensitivities
As an analysis for the final rule, DOE
considered alternative primary voltages
in its representative units designed in
the engineering analysis. ERMCO
commented that the voltages DOE used
for its NOPR analysis were reasonable
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and common voltages for the
representative units from DL1–DL5.
However, ERMCO was concerned that
there are certain voltages used in
distribution networks in the U.S. today
that are unusual, and may not be
achievable at TSL4. ERMCO also stated
that there may be impedance or size
requirements, specified by utilities, that
lower efficiency. (ERMCO, No. 113 at p.
2) ERMCO provided a second written
comment, focusing on the voltage issue
and identifying dozens of voltages that
it believes may be more problematic
than others for achieving TSL4.
(ERMCO, No. 147 at pp. 3–4) ERMCO
also noted that, while primary voltages
and basic impulse insulation level
(BIL) 21 ratings have the most effect on
the ability to achieve a high efficiency
design, a low secondary voltage of, for
example, 208Y/120 volts on a large kVA
unit (1500 kVA) also can be difficult to
manufacture because of the large crosssectional area of the secondary winding.
Finally, ERMCO noted that dual-voltage
designs are more difficult to
manufacture because of complications
with how the windings are prepared.
(ERMCO, No. 147 at pp. 1–2)
In response to this comment, DOE
conducted an engineering sensitivity
analysis to understand more about the
potential impact of different voltages on
the efficiency of the resulting designs.
DOE conducted sensitivity analysis runs
on DL2 (i.e., 25 kVA pole-mount), DL4
(150 kVA three-phase), and DL5 (1500
kVA three-phase). Using all the same
inputs (including material prices), but
changing the primary and/or secondary
voltages, DOE found that some of the
transformers with the different primary
and/or secondary voltages had a higher
first cost and were less efficient. The
impact on DL4 was the most significant,
with efficiency shifts as great as 0.18
percent with certain BIL ratings. This
means that, all else being equal, a DL4
transformer designed with the reference
voltage may be 99.34 percent efficient,
while one with the higher BIL-rated
primary voltage would be 99.16 percent
efficient. This impact on the transformer
designs was one of the ‘‘other factors’’
taken into consideration by the
Secretary when reviewing each of the
TSLs and selecting today’s standard (see
section VI.D.1 of this final rule). The
results of the voltage sensitivity analysis
can be found in Appendix 5D of the
TSD.
21 The BIL rating represents the amount of
electrical insulation incorporated into the
transformer. The higher the BIL rating, the more
insulation and the greater the transformer’s ability
to handle high voltages.
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b. Increased Raw Material Prices
DOE received comments expressing
concern over material prices that DOE
used in developing the proposed
standards, including prices for core steel
and conductors. ACEEE commented that
material prices are unusually high right
now, citing press articles and futures
markets which are anticipating that
materials prices may come down.
ACEEE believes electrical steel prices
will come down because of announced
capacity additions in the industry.
(ACEEE, No. 127 at p. 6) NPCC
commented that fluctuating material
prices are not a reason for concern in
setting the standard because transformer
material prices are correlated with the
materials used to construct power
plants. NPCC stated that if the standard
is set low because of high material
prices, the cost of adding electricity
generation capacity (i.e., powerplants)
will also be higher under any high
material price scenario. (NPCC, No. 141
at p. 4)
Cooper Power Systems commented
that it believes DOE should obtain
current material price data to determine
which should be used as the
benchmark. Cooper found that the 2005
material price sensitivity analysis
conducted in the NOPR was more
representative than DOE’s five-year
average material price analysis. (Cooper,
No. 154 at p. 3) Howard Industries
commented that its material prices have
increased 30–40 percent in the last two
to three years, and it believes DOE
should recalculate its engineering
curves based on 2005/2006 material
prices. (Howard, No. 143 at p. 7) NEMA
expressed concern that DOE’s baseline
analysis used outdated material costs,
and requested that DOE obtain 2005 and
2006 material pricing to use as the new
benchmark. NEMA stated that the
demand for electrical products in China
is very high, and this demand is driving
up the prices of commodity materials
that are used in the production of
transformers. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 142; NEMA,
No. 125 at pp. 1–2) The National Rural
Electric Cooperative Association
(NRECA) also expressed concern about
core steel availability and prices.
(NRECA, No. 123 at p. 3)
In response to these comments, DOE
developed a revised set of reference
material prices. The revised five-year
average material price for the final rule
spans the years 2002 through 2006, and
is based on discussion with
manufacturers and material suppliers.
This approach is consistent with a
comment from EEI, which noted that
commodity materials can fluctuate over
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time, and that EEI believed DOE was
correct to use material price averages in
its analysis. (EEI, No. 137 at p. 5)
Compared with the NOPR average
material prices, which spanned from
2000 through 2005, most of the final
rule material prices are approximately
15 to 30 percent higher, after adjusting
for inflation. Copper wire had a much
more dramatic increase in price, with as
much as a 50% increase in its cost per
pound. Cold-rolled grain-oriented core
steel increased by approximately 25%
per pound.
DOE used the new five-year average
material prices to develop new
engineering analysis cost-efficiency
curves, which it then incorporated into
the LCC spreadsheets for the final rule
analysis. The new five-year average
material prices and revised engineering
analysis cost-efficiency curves can be
found in Chapter 5 of the TSD.
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c. Amorphous Material Price
DOE received several comments on
amorphous core material, questioning
primarily the pricing that DOE used in
the engineering analysis prepared as a
basis for the NOPR. ACEEE commented
that DOE should check Metglas’
assertion that DOE had overestimated
the cost of amorphous core
transformers. (ACEEE, No. 127 at p. 6)
National Grid commented that DOE
should re-evaluate the information
presented by the amorphous material
manufacturer. (NGrid, No. 138 at p. 2)
Metglas stated a concern that the DOE
analysis portrayed amorphous metal
transformers as too expensive. Metglas
commented that the software input cost
for a finished core should have been
$1.75/lb and not $2.85/lb, based on the
fact that the raw material price for
amorphous material was $0.80 to $0.90/
lb for 2000 to 2004, and $0.95/lb for the
first quarter of 2005. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 36; Metglas,
No. 144 at p. 2)
In response to this comment, DOE
reviewed its material pricing for
amorphous core material, as part of its
review (discussed in the previous
subsection) of all the material prices
used in its engineering analysis. DOE’s
review found that the five-year average
finished amorphous core material price
was $2.14 per pound. Details on the
review of raw material and mark-up
costs associated with sourcing a
finished amorphous core can be found
in Chapter 5 of the TSD.
d. Material Availability
DOE received several comments
expressing concern over the availability
of materials—including core steel and
conductors—for building energy
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efficient distribution transformers.
These issues pertain to a global scarcity
of materials as well as issues of
materials access for small
manufacturers.
NEMA expressed concern over the
effective date of the standard because of
a lack of core steel availability. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 220)
NRECA also expressed concern about
core steel availability. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 51; NRECA,
No. 123 at p. 3) Central Moloney
commented that it supports TSL2
because it is concerned about the
availability of materials needed for
higher efficiency transformers. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 60)
Howard Industries expressed a similar
concern, stating that it believes
suppliers of raw materials (e.g.,
aluminum magnet wire) cannot meet the
demand that will be required at TSL2,
and the situation would be much worse
at TSL4. Howard recommends TSL1.
(Howard, No. 143 at p. 6) HVOLT also
supports TSL1, because there is a wide
array of materials that could be used to
meet this level of the minimum
efficiency standard. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 229)
Other stakeholders, however,
emphasized the changes in the core
steel market that would increase
availability and may mitigate the impact
of potential shortages of core steel. AK
Steel stated that it is expanding its steel
production capacity to meet the demand
needs of more efficient transformers. It
indicated that it will increase steel
production by 50,000 tons per year
starting in early 2007, and that other
producers around the world are adding
capacity as well. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at pp. 34 and 228)
Metglas commented that core steel will
become increasingly available, and cited
DOE’s core steel report (Appendix 3A),
showing that AK Steel, POSCO, and
Wuhan are each adding significant
capacity by 2007. Therefore, Metglas
stated that core steel availability
concerns should not deter DOE from
selecting TSL4. (Metglas, No. 144 at p.
4)
DOE wanted to ensure that it did not
adopt a standard level that could only
be achieved by one type of core steel,
which might be proprietary. To better
understand and address the issue of
core steels used by selected standardscompliant designs in the LCC, DOE
evaluated the types (e.g., M6, M3, SA1)
of core steel selected by the LCC
consumer choice model at all the liquidimmersed TSLs. Knowing what
proportion of the selected designs are
built with each of the steel type for each
TSL enabled DOE to consider this
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information in the standard level
selection. Details of core steel type
proportions for each TSL and each
design line are provided in Appendix
8H of the TSD.
2. Shipments/National Energy Savings
DOE received a few comments
regarding trends in transformer
efficiency and the impact that this may
have on energy savings. ACEEE
commented that average transformer
efficiencies appear to be coming down.
(ACEEE, No. 127 at p. 7) NEMA
commented that 10 years ago there was
a trend where customers bought cheaper
and less efficient transformers every
year, but that the market has turned
around and now an increasing
percentage of customers are purchasing
TP 1 transformers. NEMA also noted
that the shipments data it has submitted
over the years to DOE have shown this
changing trend (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 220; NEMA,
No. 125 at p. 3) NRECA commented that
standards may encourage some utilities
to stop evaluating transformer purchases
for efficiency because the small
differences between the energy savings
and costs of evaluated and standardcompliant transformers may no longer
justify the cost of performing
evaluations. (NRECA, No. 123 at p. 3)
DOE did not include any baseline
efficiency trends in its shipments and
national energy savings models. As
noted in comments received by DOE, it
is clear that transformer efficiencies
have dropped over the last decade.
However, current data appears to
indicate the trend towards lower
efficiencies has ended, but the data are
inconclusive as to whether efficiencies
are remaining level or increasing
slightly. Furthermore, AEO forecasts
show no long term trend in transmission
and distribution losses. Therefore, given
the variation in comments, and the data
from AEO forecasts, DOE estimates that
the probability of an increasing
efficiency trend and the probability of a
decreasing efficiency trend are
approximately equal, and therefore used
a zero trend in baseline efficiency as the
median scenario. DOE performed
sensitivity analyses for both the low and
high baseline efficiency in the LCC
analysis with results presented in
Appendix 8D of the TSD.
3. Manufacturer Impact Analysis
Metglas made two specific comments
related to the MIA. First, Metglas said
that it was ‘‘out of context’’ for DOE to
incorporate conversion capital
expenditures into the MIA. Since the
engineering analysis and LCC analysis
assumed that U.S. transformer
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manufacturers would purchase finished
amorphous cores, Metglas identified
DOE’s inclusion of capital expenditures
associated with conversion to
amorphous core technology as
inconsistent. Second, Metglas stated
that the conversion capital expenditures
DOE estimated were two to three times
higher than actual experience has
shown in commercial production.
(Metglas, Inc., No. 144 at pp. 2–3)
Regarding Metglas’s first point, DOE
recognizes that the engineering and LCC
analyses are based on a scenario where
U.S. transformer manufacturers
purchase finished amorphous cores (for
TSLs 6, 5, A, 4, and 3), while the MIA
is based on a scenario where
manufacturers would largely convert
their facilities to produce the
amorphous cores for the amorphous
core transformers. For the engineering
and LCC analyses, DOE used actual
market pricing in its analysis to develop
its production costs and transformer
price estimates. The engineering and
LCC analyses are based on the
assumption that manufacturers who
make a decision to build an amorphous
core transformer will purchase
prefabricated (i.e., cut and formed)
amorphous cores.
During the manufacturer interviews
prior to the August 2006 NOPR, DOE
learned that it was likely that many of
the U.S. manufacturers would convert
their facilities to produce amorphous
cores if the standard required or
otherwise triggered significant volumes
of amorphous core transformer
purchases—manufacturers indicated
that production of cores is an important
part of the value chain and they would
likely choose to continue to produce
them. Therefore, DOE decided to
conduct the MIA as if manufacturers
would convert their facilities to produce
amorphous core transformers for TSLs
where the DOE customer choice model
indicated selection of amorphous core
transformers in high volume. In its
assessment of manufacturer impacts,
DOE is not evaluating the assumption
made for the engineering and LCC
scenarios, namely that manufacturers
would purchase finished, prefabricated
amorphous cores. If it were modeled in
the MIA, then the employment engaged
in fabricating cores would be shifted
from domestic factories to overseas
businesses which would operate all the
equipment needed to manufacture
amorphous cores. DOE believes that
both transformer production costs and
transformer pricing would be similar
under the two scenarios. The difference
between the two scenarios would affect
only the allocation of the production
costs. In the MIA, instead of
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manufacturers buying prefabricated
cores (i.e., U.S.-sourced amorphous
ribbon processed in India), paying for
trans-oceanic shipping, and lowering
their labor costs, manufacturers would
allocate costs differently by purchasing
amorphous material and employing
domestic labor to manufacture the
amorphous cores. The decision a
manufacturer makes between
outsourcing amorphous core production
and converting its facilities to produce
amorphous core transformers depends
on multiple competing factors,
including the trade-off between labor
and trans-oceanic shipping costs.
Because of these competing factors, it is
not obvious whether manufacturers
would purchase amorphous cores from
abroad or produce them on-site (and
manufacturers indicated during
interviews that they are not sure which
path they would follow today)—this is
tantamount to saying that the cost
difference between the two scenarios is
likely not major. For these reasons, DOE
concludes it is appropriate to use the
pricing information (based on
purchased cores) together with
appropriate conversion capital cost
estimates in the MIA.
With respect to Metglas’s second
point about the magnitude of the
estimated conversion capital
expenditures, DOE conducted a detailed
review of its amorphous-related
conversion capital expenditure
estimates in the August 2006 NOPR.
DOE found that the conversion costs
estimates in the NOPR could be reduced
by using different core manufacturing
equipment than DOE had assumed in
the NOPR. DOE’s review concluded that
the final rule conversion capital
expenditures at TSL5 and TSL6 are
about half of those presented in the
August 2006 NOPR. DOE’s conclusion is
consistent with Metglas’s assertion that
the investment costs in the August 2006
NOPR were two to three times too high.
See TSD Chapter 12, Section 12.4.1, for
detailed information on the capital
expenditures associated with
amorphous core conversion.
B. Weighing of Factors
1. Economic Impacts
a. Economic Impacts on Consumers
In response to the NOPR and NODA,
DOE received comments regarding the
economic impacts of the proposed
standards. The vast majority of these
comments discussed such impacts in
terms of the life-cycle costs. This
preamble discusses these comments in
section V.B.2, below.
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b. Economic Impacts on Manufacturers
DOE received a comment from
Metglas that relates to the burden that
would be placed on manufacturers if
minimum efficiency standards were
implemented that required amorphous
core transformers. Metglas commented
that while it cannot replace the entire
conventional cores steel market, it is
currently making investments that will
allow it to double its production by
mid-2007, and it has a commitment to
expand as the market develops.
(Metglas, No. 144 at p. 3; Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 233) DOE
appreciates this comment, but while
Metglas may have a commitment to
expand production capacity with an
expanding market, this provides no
guarantee that severe material shortages
will not occur if demand increases faster
than Metglas’ ability to expand
production. As part of DOE’s weighing
the benefits and burdens of setting
standards for distribution transformers,
DOE considered whether the standard
would require amorphous core steel.
As discussed above, DOE is reluctant
to set standard levels that would require
products to be constructed of a single,
proprietary design or material. In
particular, in the case of amorphous
material, DOE is concerned because it
understands that currently there is only
one significant supplier of amorphous
ribbon to the U.S. market.22 DOE found,
for example, at TSL6, all design lines’
representative units would necessarily
be constructed of amorphous material
and at TSL5 and TSLA, design lines 3–
5 would be constructed of amorphous
material.
DOE received comments from
multiple parties about transformer
commoditization 23 and foreign
competition. Cooper Power Systems
suggested to DOE that a standard set
toward the high end of the efficiency
range that can be met by large
manufacturers would quickly lead to
commoditization and thus foreign
competition. Cooper said that it is
important for there to be efficiencies
that utilities desire and specify above
the minimum efficiency standard
because foreign manufacturers will find
it more difficult to compete in the U.S.
22 At certain very high efficiency levels, the only
core material that would enable compliant
transformers would be amorphous material.
23 The term ‘commoditization’ in this context
reflects a concern expressed by stakeholders that
the mandatory minimum efficiency standards will
simply become the most commonly requested
transformer efficiency levels in the market, and
manufacturers who currently are providing custombuild designs in a range of efficiency levels may be
put at a disadvantage relative to manufacturers or
importers who simply focus on mass-production of
a single standards-compliant design.
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when product variety is preserved.
Cooper noted that recent trends indicate
that many utilities are again evaluating
losses when specifying transformers
because utility deregulation is
collapsing. (Cooper Power Systems, No.
154 at p. 1) Howard Industries
supported the claim that a minimum
efficiency standard will lead to offshore
production. Howard’s comments did not
indicate at which TSLs it felt this effect
would become problematic. (Howard
Industries, No. 143 at p. 3)
Duke Energy stated that the risk of
increments of manufacturing capacity
being moved offshore is outweighed by
the benefits of energy savings. (Duke
Energy Corporation, No. 134 at p. 3)
ACEEE submitted comments that are
consistent with Duke Energy’s. While
ACEEE agreed with manufacturers that
efficiency standards do lead to more
standardization of product designs (i.e.,
commoditization), it believes U.S.
manufacturers can still market high
efficiency products (e.g., if the final
standard were set high enough to
exclude most silicon core steel designs,
manufacturers could market amorphous
core transformers as high-efficiency
products). Furthermore, ACEEE
contended that the cost savings of
establishing offshore production are not
significant for transformers since
transformers are heavy and,
consequently, costly to ship. (ACEEE,
No. 127 at p. 8; Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 95) AK Steel
expressed disagreement with ACEEE’s
view, stating that many power
transformers are shipped to the U.S.
from abroad, so it is therefore clear that
transformer weight and shipping costs
do not deter offshore transformer
manufacturing. (Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 96) ASAP
pointed out that the incentive for
manufacturers to move offshore due to
low labor costs in Asia will be present
with or without standards. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 102)
Finally, the Midwest Energy Efficiency
Alliance (MEEA) suggested that DOE
cannot rely on the risk of outsourcing
production to lower labor cost countries
in choosing TSL2 (instead of higher
standards) because it has not quantified
the risk of this occurrence. In contrast,
MEEA pointed out, DOE quantified the
indirect employment benefits to the
economy of higher TSLs. (MEEA, No.
126 at p. 4)
DOE appreciates the varied comments
it received on the issue of transformer
commoditization, the outsourcing of
production, and foreign competition.
While DOE understands that some
manufacturers are concerned that
today’s rule could lead to some
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commoditization of liquid-immersed
transformers, DOE’s engineering
analysis indicates that many designs
exist that are more efficient than today’s
minimum efficiency standard. The
designs available to manufacturers can
be constructed of either amorphous
material or silicon core steels. Moreover,
today’s minimum efficiency standard
can be met with two or more grades of
silicon core steel, depending on the
design line. In addition, DOE notes that
there are many other custom design
factors which are built into a
distribution transformer in addition to
the efficiency of the unit. Utilities can
(and do presently) specify transformer
designs with efficiencies that are both at
and above (i.e., more efficient than) the
minimum efficiency standard being
adopted in today’s final rule. Because
today’s standard preserves multiple
design paths and a diversity of products,
DOE does not expect that today’s
standard will be a significant cause of
increased levels of outsourced
production to lower labor cost countries
or affect U.S. manufacturer’s ability to
compete. DOE believes this is the
situation for both liquid-immersed and
medium-voltage dry-type transformer
manufacturing. While concerns about
outsourcing and foreign competition
may be more relevant and valid for
standard levels higher than those
promulgated today, DOE rejected those
standard levels based on impacts
associated with other EPCA criteria, and
did not reject those higher standard
levels based upon explicit consideration
of outsourcing and foreign competition.
2. Life-Cycle Costs
DOE received extensive comments
regarding the life-cycle economic
burdens and benefits from standards, in
response to both the NOPR and the
NODA. A large number of stakeholders
recommended that DOE select a
standard that minimizes life-cycle costs
and encouraged DOE to select TSL4 on
the ground that it achieved that goal.
(ACEEE, No. 127 at p. 1–3, 9; CEC, No.
98 at p. 1–2; NASEO, No. 131 at p. 1–
2; NPCC, No. 141 at p. 1–4; Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 193;
U.S. Congress, No. 125 at p. 1–2;
Metglas, Incorporated, No. 144 at p. 3,
6; NPCC, No. 141 at p. 1–4; Office of
Consumer Affairs and Business
Regulation, Division of Energy
Resources, Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, No. 152 at p. 1–2; PNM
Resources and 9 other utilities, No. 140
at p. 1–2; NYSERDA, No. 136 at p. 1;
Public Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at
p. 39; National Grid, No. 138 at p. 1–2;
Public Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at
p. 59)
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Others commented that a standard
that minimizes life-cycle costs creates
burdens on particular subgroups, or that
the minimum life-cycle cost level, TSL4,
creates inconsistencies between threephase and single-phase transformers
and that these burdens justify giving
less weight to life-cycle cost results than
what was advocated by other
stakeholders. NRECA commented that it
does not support TSL4, because it
believes this level would unfairly
burden rural consumers who are likely
at an economic disadvantage compared
to urban consumers. (NRECA, No. 176 at
p. 3) NRECA further commented that
utilities can be encouraged to minimize
life-cycle costs by being total ownership
cost (TOC) evaluators. (NRECA, No. 123
at p. 1–2) ERMCO commented that
single-phase liquid-units are commonly
‘‘banked’’ to supply three-phase power,
therefore single-phase and three-phase
units should have the same efficiency
requirements. (ERMCO, No. 165 at p. 1)
NPCC commented that TSL4 provides
the maximum benefits compared to
burdens except for design line 4
transformers where they recommended
adoption of TSL2. (NPCC, No. 141 at p.
1–4)
While DOE gave substantial weight to
the LCC results in selecting the standard
levels in today’s rule, these results were
not the sole determining factor. DOE
weighed all of the economic impacts in
reaching its decision. DOE agrees with
stakeholders who commented that
differences in efficiencies between
single-phase and three-phase efficiency
levels would create burdens on both
manufacturers and consumers. The
levels selected by DOE are close to the
minimum life-cycle cost levels that
maintain consistency between singlephase and three-phase efficiency
requirements. (see TSD Appendix 8I)
3. Energy Savings
In response to the NOPR, DOE
received comments on the need to
maximize energy savings. Many
stakeholders commented that the TSL2
level proposed by DOE in the NOPR did
not maximize energy savings. (ACEEE,
No. 127 at p. 1–3, 9; Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 26; CEC, No.
98 at p. 1–2; CDA, No. 111 at p. 5; Dow
Chemical Company, No. 129 at p. 1–2;
Exelon Corporation, No. 105 at p. 1;
NARUC, No. 106 at p. 1–5; NASEO, No.
131 at p. 1–2; NRDC, No. 117 at p. 1–
6; NPCC, No. 141 at p. 1–4; U.S.
Congress, No. 125 at p. 1–2; U.S. Senate,
No. 120 at p. 1)
DOE also received comment that some
levels could create unintended
consequences that could reduce energy
savings. CEA expressed concerned that
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TSL3 and TSL4 would force utilities to
use larger kVA transformers to meet
efficiency requirements because these
levels are especially hard to meet for
small transformers. The over-sizing of
transformers because of the
unavailability of moderate cost small
transformers may increase losses overall
compared to the case of no standards
(CEA, No. 171 at p. 3) Cooper
commented that higher standards for
liquid-immersed transformers compared
to dry-types could shift the market
toward increased use of less efficient
dry-type designs instead of nonflammable liquid-filled models,
negating energy savings. (Cooper, No.
175 at p. 2)
DOE recognizes that inconsistencies
between the stringency of efficiency
levels between small and large
transformers can lead to market shifts
that may decrease energy savings. DOE
did not quantitatively estimate such
potential market shifts because of a lack
of data on such market shift elasticities.
But DOE did solicit stakeholder
comment in the NODA regarding the
possibility of recombining the efficiency
levels proposed in the NOPR. 72 FR
6189–6190. In section V.C below, DOE
addressed the burden of potential
market shifts described in stakeholder
comments by recombining the proposed
efficiency levels to create more
consistency between small, large, singlephase, and three-phase liquid-immersed
transformers. By recombining efficiency
levels into combinations that have fewer
economic burdens, DOE increases the
energy savings that are economically
justified.
effectively utilized. (DOJ, No. 157 at p.
2) DOE considered this input from DOJ,
along with comments from several
stakeholders, and as discussed above in
section IV.A.2 of today’s notice, decided
to treat space-constrained underground
mining transformers as a separate
product class in this final rule.
5. Impact of Lessening of Competition
6. Need of the Nation To Conserve
Energy
DOE received extensive comment
from stakeholders on the need of the
Nation to conserve energy. NRDC
commented that the need for the Nation
to conserve energy was urgent from both
an environmental and public benefit
perspective. (NRDC, No. 117 at p. 1–6)
NERC commented that the energy
savings may be important for helping
maintain electric system reliability.
(NERC, No. 133 at p. 1) PNM Resources
and nine other utilities commented that
energy savings from a standard can
improve the security and reduce
reliability costs for the Nation’s energy
system, can provide national economic
benefits, reduce generation capacity
requirements, and reduce generationrelated emissions. (PNM Resources and
nine other utilities, No. 140 at p. 1) And
many stakeholders commented on the
need of the Nation to conserve energy
when they commented that the TSL2
level proposed in the NOPR did not
maximize energy savings. (ACEEE, No.
127 at p. 1–3, 9; Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 26; CEC, No.
98 at p. 1–2; CDA, No. 111 at p. 5; Dow
Chemical Company, No. 129 at p. 1–2;
Exelon Corporation, No. 105 at p. 1;
NARUC, No. 106 at p. 1–5; NASEO, No.
131 at p. 1–2; NRDC, No. 117 at p. 1–
6; NPCC, No. 141 at p. 1–4; U.S.
Congress, No. 125 at p. 1–2; U.S. Senate,
No. 120 at p. 1)
DOE recognizes the need of the
Nation to save energy. Enhanced energy
efficiency improves the Nation’s energy
security, strengthens the economy, and
reduces the environmental impacts or
reduces the costs of energy production.
In recognition of this national need,
DOE recombined the levels proposed in
the NOPR to create a new combination
of levels that could increase energy
savings while maintaining economic
justification. The recombined levels
considered by DOE are described in
more detail in section V.C below.
DOE received comment from the
Department of Justice, which indicated
that the proposed levels in the NOPR
may adversely affect competition with
respect to distribution transformers used
in industries, such as underground coal
mining, where physical conditions limit
the size of the equipment that can be
7. Other Factors
DOE received comments from
stakeholders on certain other topics that
were considered by the Secretary in
arriving at the standard published
today. These factors included: (a)
Availability of higher BIL rated primary
voltages; (b) a materials price sensitivity
4. Lessening of Utility or Performance of
Products
a. Transformers Installed in Vaults
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
DOE received comments that energy
conservation standards may lessen the
utility and performance of transformers
by resulting in transformers that are
heavier and larger, thus creating size
and space constraint issues. DOE
quantified these effects in its analysis
and estimated the impacts in terms of
increased installations costs. This
rulemaking describes the comments and
DOE’s response to these issues in
section IV.C.1.b above.
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58215
analysis using current material prices
(in addition to the reference scenario of
the five-year average material prices); (c)
a materials availability analysis to
ensure a diverse mix of core steels in the
LCC-selected designs; and (d)
consistency between single-phase
efficiency levels and their three-phase
equivalents. Each of these comments is
discussed in this rulemaking, in
sections that more closely relate to the
specific analysis involved.
a. Availability of High Primary Voltages
Another consideration for DOE under
the ‘‘Other Factors’’ EPCA criterion was
whether the standard level selected
would impact the availability of
transformer designs that have voltages
with BIL ratings greater than the designs
used in the engineering analysis (see
footnote on BIL ratings in section
V.A.1.a above). DOE conducted
supplementary engineering analyses for
selected design option combinations in
four liquid-immersed design lines.
Relative to the basecase (reference)
transformers designed by the software,
DOE found that changing the primary
voltages to have a higher BIL ratings
would reduce the efficiency and
increase the cost of the cost-optimized
transformer designs. For certain design
lines, this impact was particularly
significant. The results can be found in
TSD Appendix 5D.
b. Materials Price Sensitivity Analysis
DOE is concerned about how material
prices might change and impact the
market relative to the five-year average
material price scenario used for the
reference analysis for the final rule. DOE
therefore conducted a separate
engineering analysis and LCC using the
2006 24 annual average material prices
in addition to the five-year average price
scenario. Relative to the five-year
average price scenario (used by DOE as
the ‘reference’ material price scenario),
DOE found that the LCC savings were
generally lower and the payback periods
were generally longer under the 2006
(high) material price sensitivity
analysis. Material prices and the
methodology followed to gather material
prices can be found in TSD Chapter 5.
The engineering analysis results of the
material price sensitivity analysis can be
found in TSD Appendix 5C and the LCC
results can be found in TSD Appendix
8F.
24 For this final rule, DOE used annual average
material prices representative of a medium to largesized transformer manufacturer. Since this analysis
was performed in early 2007, the most recent data
in calculating average annual material prices was
data from 2006.
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c. Materials Availability Analysis
C. Other Comments
DOE considered the availability of a
variety of core steels that could be used
to meet the standard in order to address
stakeholder concerns about sources and
availability of specific types of core
steel. This issue is particularly
significant at the higher standard levels
where amorphous steel would be
required. DOE wishes to ensure a
diversity of core steels in the LCCselected designs, avoiding overly
constraining certain grades of steel. DOE
found in its review of the core steels
selected by the LCC model that certain
standard levels had transformer designs
based on a disproportionately large
percentages of a particular steel grade
due to the minimum efficiency
standard. The analysis of the core steels
selected by the LCC consumer choice
model can be found in TSD Appendix
8H.
1. Development of Trial Standard Levels
for the Final Rule
DOE received comments on three
interrelated topics that led DOE to
create additional TSLs for liquidimmersed transformers for
consideration in deciding what
standards to adopt: (1) Consistency of
minimum efficiency values for single
and three-phase transformers; (2)
continuity across capacities (or kVA
ratings) at the interfaces between design
lines; and (3) reasons for not setting
standards for design line 4 at TSL3 or
higher. These topics are interrelated
because, taken together, they produce a
rationale for DOE’s construction of
additional TSLs: TSLs A, B, C and D.
First, several manufacturers of liquidimmersed distribution transformers
recommended that DOE establish
minimum efficiency standards that
equally treat a single-phase transformer
with its corresponding three-phase
analog. (Cooper Power Systems, No. 154
at p. 2; Howard Industries, No. 143 at
p. 2; Public Meeting Transcript, No.
108.6 at p. 65) For example, a 100 kVA
single-phase transformer should be held
to the same standard as a 300 kVA
three-phase transformer. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 46)
(In this example, the 300 kVA threephase transformer is the analog to the
100 kVA single-phase transformer, that
is, the per-phase capacities of the two
transformers are identical.) While
expressing concern about the
inconsistent treatment of single-phase
and three-phase transformers in the
proposed rule, ERMCO suggested that
there may be some rationale for more
stringent regulation of the three-phase
transformers. (ERMCO, No. 96 at p. 2)
NRDC also commented in support of
the construction of a new TSL that
achieves consistency between singlephase and three-phase transformers.
(Public Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at
pp. 162–163) ACEEE supported
averaging the efficiency values for the
single-phase and three-phase
transformers to achieve the consistency
requested by manufacturers. ACEEE
expressed opposition to a simple
reduction in the three-phase efficiency
levels to match the single-phase levels.
(ACEEE, No. 127 at p. 8) DOE analyzed
the consistency of its existing TSLs and
presents those findings in TSD
Appendix 8I.
Second, stakeholders commented on
the separate but related issue
concerning alleged inconsistent
treatment of design lines in the
proposed rule. This related issue has to
do with smoothing the interfaces
d. Consistency Between Single-Phase
and Three-Phase Designs
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DOE is concerned about the
consistency between the efficiency
values required for single-phase
transformers and their three-phase
equivalents (per phase). DOE
understands from comments submitted
that having different standards for
single-phase and three-phase liquidimmersed distribution transformers will
cause disturbances or distortions in the
market if the efficiency requirements
promulgated by DOE are inconsistent
between single-phase transformers and
their three-phase equivalents (see
section V.C below).25 Thus, unless the
efficiency of the two per-phase
equivalent transformers is equal,
distortions may be introduced into the
market due to the minimum efficiency
standard. In DOE’s analysis, this is an
issue that only affects liquid-immersed
distribution transformers because
liquid-immersed single-phase and threephase units were analyzed separately.
For medium-voltage dry-type
distribution transformers, the threephase units were analyzed and the same
standard level is being adopted for both
three-phase and single-phase units.
DOE’s evaluation of the consistency of
the TSLs considered in the proposed
rule and the new TSLs developed for
the final rule which address this
consistency issue, can be found in TSD
Appendix 8I.
25 For example, if the standard level were lower
for single-phase transformers than their three-phase
equivalents, transformer consumers may stop
purchasing three-phase transformers, and instead
purchase three single-phase transformers, and
connect them to function as a three-phase
transformer.
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between small and large three-phase
transformers (i.e., smoothing the
interface between design lines 4 and 5).
Stakeholders asserted that where the
small and large kVA design lines
intersect, DOE’s proposal might contain
a discontinuity, such as a lower
efficiency requirement for a higher kVA
rating or a significant change in the
incremental step increases in efficiency
with kVA. Stakeholders suggested that
DOE address these discontinuities in the
final rule through the use of a
smoothing function. ERMCO, Howard
Industries, HVOLT, and NEMA are the
stakeholders who commented on the
discontinuities between small and large
three-phase transformers. (Public
Meeting Transcript, No. 108.6 at pp. 72,
76, 77, and 78; ERMCO, No. 96 at p. 1;
Howard Industries, No. 143 at pp. 1–2)
Third, DOE received comments which
called to its attention the problems
associated with setting the standard for
design line 4 at TSL3 or TSL4 (TSL3
and TSL4 are the same for this design
line). NPCC suggested that DOE regulate
design line 4 at the TSL2 level. (NPCC,
No. 141 at p. 4) Similarly, ERMCO
commented that while designs based on
silicon core steel can meet TSL3 and
TSL4 for DOE’s chosen representative
units, there are examples of primary
voltages that are specified and
purchased by utilities today which
would not be able to meet levels higher
than TSL2 using conventional silicon
core steel. (ERMCO, No. 113 at pp. 1–
2) In response, DOE conducted a voltage
sensitivity analysis considering higher
primary voltages and BIL ratings on
design lines 2, 3, 4 and 5, and
determined that the greatest impact of
the higher primary voltages was
experienced by design line 4. (See TSD
Appendix 5D) DOE agrees with
ERMCO’s assertion that certain primary
voltages, when specified for design line
4, cannot meet TSL4 (or TSL3) using
conventional silicon core steel.
Furthermore, the DOE customer choice
model (in the LCC analysis) indicates
that, for the design line 4 representative
unit, approximately 95 percent of the
transformers selected would be
constructed with amorphous cores at
TSL3 and TSL4. While TSL3 and TSL4
could be met for all voltage classes
using amorphous material, DOE has
decided not to regulate to a level that
would require amorphous material, for
reasons having to do with material
availability and the limited number of
ribbon suppliers. (see Section V.A.7.c
above and Section V.B.1.b below)
In response to the above comments,
DOE created TSLs A, B, C and D. Each
of these additional TSLs assures the
following: (1) Consistency between
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single-phase and three-phase analogs;
(2) that there are no discontinuities
between adjacent design lines of the
same phase as kVA increases; and (3)
that the level for design line 4 is not at
TSL3 or higher (i.e., not at 99.26 percent
or higher).
TSLA ensures single-phase versus
three-phrase consistency by mapping
from the single-phase transformers to
the three-phase transformers. DOE
constructed TSLA based on first
selecting the highest design line 1
efficiency level considered in the
proposed rule that does not exceed
99.26 percent, which is 99.19 percent
(to ensure that the level for design line
4 is not at TSL3 or higher). DOE then
chose this same level of 99.19 percent
for the three-phase analog, design line 4
(to achieve single-phase versus threephase consistency). For design line 2,
DOE chose the level of 99.04 percent by
implementing 0.75 scaling based on
design line 1 (to achieve continuity
between adjacent design lines). For the
last single-phase design line, design line
3, DOE chose the highest efficiency
level considered in the proposed rule
that yields positive mean LCC savings
and does not create a significant
discontinuity with design line 1, that is,
99.54 percent efficient. It used this same
level for the three-phase analog, design
line 5 (to achieve single-phase versus
three-phase consistency).
TSLB ensures single-phase versus
three-phrase consistency by mapping
from the three-phase transformers to the
single-phase transformers (i.e., the
mapping direction is reversed). DOE
constructed TSLB by choosing the
highest design line 4 efficiency level
considered in the proposed rule that
does not exceed 99.26 percent, which is
99.08 percent (to ensure that the level
for design line 4 is not at TSL3 or
higher). DOE chose this same level of
99.08 percent for the single-phase
analog, design line 1 (to achieve singlephase versus three-phase consistency).
For design line 2, DOE chose the level
of 98.91 percent by implementing 0.75
scaling based off on design line 1 (to
achieve continuity between adjacent
design lines). For the other three-phase
design line, design line 5, DOE chose
the highest efficiency level considered
in the proposed rule that yields positive
mean LCC savings, 99.47 percent. It
used this same level for the single-phase
analog, design line 3 (to achieve singlephase versus three-phase consistency).
TSLC is similar to TSLB; the only
difference is in the treatment of the large
kVA transformers (design line 3 and
design line 5). For TSLC, instead of
choosing the highest NOPR efficiency
level for design line 5 that yields
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positive mean LCC savings (99.47
percent), DOE chose the next lower
level of 99.42 percent. DOE used this
same level for the single-phase analog,
design line 3 (to achieve single-phase
versus three-phase consistency).
TSLD is based on TSLC except it
rounds down the single-phase levels to
TSLs evaluated in the proposed rule.
This reduces the single-phase versus
three-phase consistency established in
TSLC, but results in the creation of a
TSL—similar to TSLC—that is based on
purely NOPR levels. The resulting levels
are 99.04 percent, 98.79 percent, 99.38
percent, 99.08 percent, and 99.42
percent for design lines 1–5,
respectively. These correspond to the
NOPR TSLs 4, 4, 2, 2, and 3 for design
lines 1 through 5, respectively. While
TSLD has better consistency between
single and three-phase transformers
than other TSLs that were considered in
the NOPR, as shown in Appendix 8I,
this standard level is not perfectly
consistent between single and threephase transformers (as are TSLA, TSLB
and TSLC). In particular, at TSLD, the
three-phase standard is higher (more
stringent) than the single-phase
standard at all kVA ratings.
2. Linear Interpolation of Non-Standard
Capacity Ratings
NEMA and GE Energy both
commented on the issue of nonstandard capacity (i.e., kVA) ratings. GE
Energy requested clarification on how it
should derive the efficiency
requirement for transformers which are
covered within the scope of this
rulemaking, but have a kVA rating that
does not appear in the table of efficiency
values—for example, 458 kVA. (GE
Energy, No. 145 at p. 1) NEMA
commented that they believe it would
be problematic if DOE were to hold
efficiency standards for any kVA ratings
not appearing in the tables to the next
higher efficiency standard. (NEMA, No.
174 at pp. 3–4) GE Energy and NEMA
both recommend that DOE adopt a
linear interpolation to scale the
efficiency values of the kVA ratings in
the table that are immediately above and
below the rating that isn’t shown in the
table. (GE Energy, No. 145 at p. 1;
NEMA, No. 174 at p. 4) DOE discussed
this issue with its technical experts and
reviewed industry practice for the
treatment of transformers that have nonstandard kVA values. DOE is today
adopting this stakeholder
recommendation, namely that
transformers with kVA ratings not
appearing in the standards tables would
be subject to standard levels that are
calculated by means of linear
interpolation from the efficiency
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58217
requirements of the two kVA ratings
immediately above and below. For
clarity, DOE is providing an example of
the linear interpolation equation for a
458 kVA three-phase medium-voltage
dry-type distribution transformer with a
60 kV BIL rating. As shown in Table I.2,
the kVA ratings and efficiency
requirements immediately above and
below 458 kVA are 500 kVA at 98.83%
and 300 kVA at 98.67%. This data
enables the user to prepare a table with
the five known values (i.e., x1, x2, x3, y1,
and y3) and the one value to solve for,
y2.
TABLE V.1.—EXAMPLE CALCULATION
FOR LINEAR INTERPOLATION TO DETERMINE EFFICIENCY REQUIREMENT
FOR KVA RATINGS NOT APPEARING
IN STANDARDS TABLES
kVA Rating
300 kVA (x1) .....................
458 kVA (x2) .....................
500 kVA (x3) .....................
Efficiency
98.67% (y1)
? (y2)
98.83% (y3)
The kVA and efficiency values (i.e.,
x1, x2, x3, y1, and y3) should then be
plugged into the linear interpolation
equation shown below, with the result
being rounded off to the hundredths
decimal place:
y2 =
( x 2 − x1 ) ( y3 − y1 )
+ y1
( x 3 − x1 )
For this example, the resultant
efficiency requirement (i.e., y2)
calculated for a 458 kVA mediumvoltage dry-type distribution
transformer with a 60 kV BIL is 98.80%.
VI. Analytical Results and Conclusions
A. Trial Standard Levels
For today’s final rule, DOE examined
10 TSLs for liquid-immersed
distribution transformers (consisting of
the six TSLs DOE considered in the
NOPR plus the four new TSLs discussed
in section V.C. of this Notice) and six
TSLs for medium-voltage, dry-type
distribution transformers (the same
TSLs that DOE considered in the NOPR
since these levels had no single-phase/
three-phase consistency issues). Table
VI.1 presents the TSLs analyzed and the
efficiency level within each TSL for
each transformer design line. DOE used
the specific transformers from the
design lines to represent a range of
distribution transformers within the
each product class. This table presents
the efficiency values of TSLs A, B, C,
and D, in the context of the other
efficiency values considered in TSL1
through TSL6. TSL6 is the maximum
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technologically feasible level (max tech)
for each class of product.
TABLE VI.1.—EFFICIENCY VALUES (%) OF THE TRIAL STANDARD LEVELS BY DESIGN LINE
Trial standard level
Design
lines
Type
Liquid-Immersed ................................
Medium-Voltage Dry-Type * ...............
kVA
Phase
1
DL1
DL2
DL3
DL4
DL5
DL9
DL10
DL11
DL12
DL13
50
25
500
150
1500
300
1500
300
1500
2000
1
1
1
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
98.90
98.70
99.30
98.90
99.30
98.60
99.10
98.50
99.00
99.00
2
D
98.90
98.73
99.38
99.08
99.36
98.82
99.22
98.67
99.12
99.15
C
B
99.04
98.79
99.38
99.08
99.42
............
............
............
............
............
99.08
98.91
99.42
99.08
99.42
............
............
............
............
............
99.08
98.91
99.47
99.08
99.47
............
............
............
............
............
3
4
98.90
98.76
99.46
99.26
99.42
99.04
99.30
98.84
99.23
99.30
A
99.04
98.79
99.54
99.26
99.47
99.26
99.39
99.01
99.35
99.45
99.19
99.04
99.54
99.19
99.54
............
............
............
............
............
5
99.19
98.96
99.74
99.58
99.71
99.41
99.51
99.09
99.51
99.55
6
99.59
99.46
99.75
99.61
99.71
99.41
99.51
99.09
99.51
99.55
* Design Lines 9 through 13 represent medium-voltage dry-type distribution transformers, and there were no corresponding trial standard levels set for TSLA
through TSLD because their efficiency levels are consistent between single-phase and three-phase designs.
Table VI.1 illustrates how the
recombined TSLs A, B, C, and D have
much greater consistency between the
single-phase efficiency levels and the
levels for the three-phase counterparts.
For example, design line 4 is the threephase design line that is equivalent to
using three design line 1 transformers,
while design line 5 is the three-phase
design line that is equivalent to three
transformers from design line 3. For
TSLs A, B, and C, the efficiency levels
for DL4 and DL1, and for DL5 and DL3
are equal.
DOE presents the tables of efficiency
values for all the preferred kVA ratings
(i.e., not only the representative kVA
ratings that were analyzed) at each of
the various TSLs in the Environmental
Assessment report, which is included in
the Technical Support Document.
B. Significance of Energy Savings
To estimate the energy savings
through 2038 due to new standards,
DOE compared the energy consumption
of distribution transformers under the
base case (no new standards) to energy
consumption of distribution
transformers under the standards. Table
VI.2 summarizes DOE’s NES estimates.
DOE based these estimates on the
results of the revised NIA, which uses
energy price forecasts from AEO2007.
These estimates are described in more
detail in TSD Chapter 10.
TABLE VI.2.—NATIONAL ENERGY SAVINGS (QUADS) OF THE TRIAL STANDARD LEVELS
Trial standard level
Discount
rate
Type
Liquid-Immersed .........................
Medium-Voltage Dry-Type * .......
1
1.38
0.77
0.39
0.06
0.03
0.02
none ........
3% ...........
7% ...........
none ........
3% ...........
7% ...........
2
D
1.94
1.08
0.55
0.13
0.07
0.04
C
B
2.18
1.21
0.62
............
............
............
2.61
1.45
0.74
............
............
............
2.75
1.53
0.78
............
............
............
3
4
2.76
1.53
0.78
0.19
0.10
0.05
3.00
1.67
0.85
0.27
0.20
0.10
A
4.07
2.27
1.15
............
............
............
5
6
5.07
2.82
1.44
0.40
0.22
0.11
7.37
4.10
2.09
0.40
0.22
0.11
* Medium-voltage dry-type distribution transformers did not have any trial standard levels set for TSLA through TSLD.
C. Economic Justification
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
1. Economic Impact on Commercial
Consumers
a. Life-Cycle Costs and Payback Period
Commercial consumers will be
affected by the standards since they will
experience higher purchase prices and
lower operating costs. To estimate these
impacts, DOE calculated the LCC and
PBP for the ten trial standards levels
considered in this proceeding. DOE’s
LCC and PBP analyses provided five
outputs for each TSL, which are
reported in Tables VI.3 through VI.12
below. The first three outputs are the
proportion of transformer purchases
where the purchase of a design that
complies with the TSL would create a
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Jkt 214001
net life-cycle cost, no impact, or a net
life-cycle savings for the consumer,
respectively. The fourth output is the
average net life-cycle savings from
purchase of a design complying with the
standard.
Finally, the fifth output is the PBP for
the average consumer purchase of a
design that complies with the TSL. The
PBP is the number of years it would take
for the customer to recover, as a result
of energy savings, the increased costs of
higher efficiency equipment, based on
the operating cost savings from the first
year of ownership. The PBP is an
economic benefit-cost measure that uses
benefits and costs without discounting.
However, DOE based the PBP analysis
for distribution transformers on energy
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consumption under actual in-service
loading conditions, whereas, in
accordance with EPCA, the rebuttable
presumption test is based on
consumption as determined using
loading levels prescribed by the DOE
test procedure. As discussed above,
while DOE examined the rebuttable
presumption criteria (see TSD section
8.7), it determined today’s standard
levels to be economically justified
through an analysis of the economic
impacts of increased efficiency levels
pursuant to section 325(o)(2)(B)(i) of
EPCA. (42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(i))
Detailed information on the LCC and
PBP analyses can be found in TSD
Chapter 8.
E:\FR\FM\12OCR2.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 197 / Friday, October 12, 2007 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE VI.3.—SUMMARY LIFE-CYCLE COST AND PAYBACK PERIOD RESULTS FOR DESIGN LINE 1 REPRESENTATIVE UNIT
Trial standard level
1
Efficiency (%) .............................
Transformers with Net Increase
in LCC (%) ..............................
Transformers with No Change in
LCC (%) ..................................
Transformers with Net Savings
in LCC (%) ..............................
Mean LCC Savings ($) ..............
Payback of Average Transformer (years) .........................
2
D
C
B
3
4
A
5
6
98.90
98.90
99.04
99.08
99.08
98.90
99.04
99.19
99.19
99.59
2.0
2.0
16.9
24.8
24.8
2.0
16.9
63.3
63.3
96.7
66.1
66.1
50.0
38.8
38.8
66.1
50.0
7.0
7.0
0.0
31.9
124
31.9
124
33.2
98
36.5
90
36.5
90
31.9
124
33.2
98
29.7
(62)
29.7
(62)
3.3
(1074)
2.4
2.4
9.7
11.4
11.4
2.4
9.7
20.9
20.9
37.9
TABLE VI.4.—SUMMARY LIFE-CYCLE COST AND PAYBACK PERIOD RESULTS FOR DESIGN LINE 2 REPRESENTATIVE UNIT
Trial standard level
1
Efficiency (%) .............................
Transformers with Net Increase
in LCC (%) ..............................
Transformers with No Change in
LCC (%) ..................................
Transformers with Net Savings
in LCC (%) ..............................
Mean LCC Savings ($) ..............
Payback of Average Transformer (years) .........................
2
D
C
B
3
4
A
5
6
98.70
98.73
98.79
98.91
98.91
98.76
98.79
99.04
98.96
99.46
12.1
10.5
12.4
42.5
42.5
9.6
12.4
79.6
57.7
99.5
42.0
38.4
34.1
16.5
16.5
36.3
34.1
0.1
10.0
0.0
45.9
59
51.1
65
53.5
76
41.0
22
41.0
22
54.2
76
53.5
76
20.3
(113)
32.3
(24)
0.5
(1094)
7.6
7.8
8.0
15.6
15.6
7.1
8.0
24.0
19.7
52.1
TABLE VI.5.—SUMMARY LIFE-CYCLE COST AND PAYBACK PERIOD RESULTS FOR DESIGN LINE 3 REPRESENTATIVE UNIT
Trial standard level
1
Efficiency (%) .............................
Transformers with Net Increase
in LCC (%) ..............................
Transformers with No Change in
LCC (%) ..................................
Transformers with Net Savings
in LCC (%) ..............................
Mean LCC Savings ($) ..............
Payback of Average Transformer (years) .........................
2
D
C
B
3
4
A
5
6
99.30
99.38
99.38
99.42
99.47
99.46
99.54
99.54
99.74
99.75
1.4
1.4
1.4
2.5
8.1
7.7
44.3
44.3
83.7
87.3
66.6
59.0
59.0
56.5
47.1
49.1
2.1
2.1
0.2
0.0
32.0
1132
39.6
1464
39.6
1464
41.0
1555
44.8
1597
43.2
1560
53.6
1308
53.6
1308
16.2
(2341)
12.7
(3460)
2.3
3.6
3.6
4.3
6.1
6.2
10.6
10.6
23.5
26.2
TABLE VI.6.—SUMMARY LIFE-CYCLE COST AND PAYBACK PERIOD RESULTS FOR DESIGN LINE 4 REPRESENTATIVE UNIT
Trial standard level
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
1
Efficiency (%) .............................
Transformers with Net Increase
in LCC (%) ..............................
Transformers with No Change in
LCC (%) ..................................
Transformers with Net Savings
in LCC (%) ..............................
Mean LCC Savings ($) ..............
Payback of Average Transformer (years) .........................
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:08 Oct 11, 2007
2
D
C
B
3
4
A
5
6
98.90
99.08
99.08
99.08
99.08
99.26
99.26
99.19
99.58
99.61
9.6
20.7
20.7
20.7
20.7
18.9
18.9
32.4
78.0
86.9
54.4
20.6
20.6
20.6
20.6
13.0
13.0
13.0
0.1
0.0
36.0
368
58.7
503
58.7
503
58.7
503
58.7
503
68.2
737
68.2
737
54.6
397
21.9
(780)
13.1
(1586)
7.8
10.4
10.4
10.4
10.4
11.3
11.3
13.6
22.0
26.0
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 197 / Friday, October 12, 2007 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE VI.7.— SUMMARY LIFE-CYCLE COST AND PAYBACK PERIOD RESULTS FOR DESIGN LINE 5 REPRESENTATIVE UNIT
Trial standard level
1
Efficiency (%) ...........................
Transformers with Net Increase
in LCC (%) ............................
Transformers with No Change
in LCC (%) ............................
Transformers with Net Savings
in LCC (%) ............................
Mean LCC Savings ($) ............
Payback of Average Transformer (years) .......................
2
D
C
B
3
4
A
5
6
99.30
99.36
99.42
99.42
99.47
99.42
99.47
99.54
99.71
99.71
5.1
4.8
12.6
12.6
21.4
12.6
21.4
52.3
84.8
84.8
66.7
61.7
45.5
45.5
33.0
45.5
33.0
4.7
0.0
0.0
28.2
1597
33.5
2168
41.9
2480
41.9
2480
45.6
2626
41.9
2480
45.6
2626
43.1
1193
15.2
(5905)
15.2
(5905)
5.1
6.0
7.4
7.4
8.9
7.4
8.9
13.8
21.6
21.6
TABLE VI.8.—SUMMARY LIFE-CYCLE COST AND PAYBACK PERIOD RESULTS FOR DESIGN LINE 9 REPRESENTATIVE UNIT
Trial standard level
1
3
4
5
6
98.60
0.3
61.0
38.7
1032
0.7
Efficiency (%) .......................................................................................................
Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) .......................................................
Transformers with No Change in LCC (%) .........................................................
Transformers with Net Savings in LCC (%) ........................................................
Mean LCC Savings ($) ........................................................................................
Payback of Average Transformer (years) ...........................................................
2
98.82
2.3
41.4
56.3
1863
1.8
99.04
8.6
22.0
69.4
3114
3.4
99.26
31.9
0.0
68.1
3223
7.2
99.41
62.1
0.0
37.9
186
13.8
99.41
62.1
0.0
37.9
186
13.8
TABLE VI.9.—SUMMARY LIFE-CYCLE COST AND PAYBACK PERIOD RESULTS FOR DESIGN LINE 10 REPRESENTATIVE UNIT
Trial standard level
1
Efficiency (%) ...................................................................................................
Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) ...................................................
Transformers with No Change in LCC (%) .....................................................
Transformers with Net Savings in LCC (%) ....................................................
Mean LCC Savings ($) ....................................................................................
Payback of Average Transformer (years) .......................................................
2
3
4
5
6
99.10
14.3
44.8
41.0
4370
5.0
99.20
16.6
31.6
51.7
5719
6.4
99.30
18.5
24.1
57.4
7408
7.0
99.39
31.1
9.5
59.5
7774
8.3
99.51
69.4
0.0
30.7
(2116)
15.2
99.51
69.4
0.0
30.7
(2116)
15.2
TABLE VI.10.—SUMMARY LIFE-CYCLE COST AND PAYBACK PERIOD RESULTS FOR DESIGN LINE 11 REPRESENTATIVE UNIT
Trial standard level
1
3
4
5
6
98.50
3.4
36.4
60.3
3110
2.4
Efficiency (%) .......................................................................................................
Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) .......................................................
Transformers with No Change in LCC (%) .........................................................
Transformers with Net Savings in LCC (%) ........................................................
Mean LCC Savings ($) ........................................................................................
Payback of Average Transformer (years) ...........................................................
2
98.67
5.1
27.7
67.2
4280
3.0
98.84
13.1
10.8
76.1
5057
4.3
99.01
24.9
0.7
74.4
5365
5.9
99.09
36.5
0.0
63.5
4472
7.8
99.09
36.5
0.0
63.5
4472
7.8
TABLE VI.11.—SUMMARY LIFE-CYCLE COST AND PAYBACK PERIOD RESULTS FOR DESIGN LINE 12 REPRESENTATIVE UNIT
Trial standard level
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
1
Efficiency (%) ...................................................................................................
Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) ...................................................
Transformers with No Change in LCC (%) .....................................................
Transformers with Net Savings in LCC (%) ....................................................
Mean LCC Savings ($) ....................................................................................
Payback of Average Transformer (years) .......................................................
VerDate Aug<31>2005
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2
3
4
5
6
99.00
5.0
66.8
28.2
2790
3.4
99.12
4.0
56.5
39.5
4863
3.9
99.23
8.6
43.8
47.6
6471
4.9
99.35
24.2
16.7
59.1
7904
6.7
99.51
71.9
0.0
28.1
(3417)
16.0
99.51
71.9
0.0
28.1
(3417)
16.0
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\12OCR2.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 197 / Friday, October 12, 2007 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE VI.12.—SUMMARY LIFE-CYCLE COST AND PAYBACK PERIOD RESULTS FOR DESIGN LINE 13 REPRESENTATIVE UNIT
Trial standard level
1
b. Commercial Consumer Subgroup
Analysis
DOE estimated commercial consumer
subgroup impacts by determining the
LCC impacts of the TSLs on rural
electric cooperatives and municipal
utilities. DOE’s analysis indicated that,
for municipal utilities, the economics
are similar to those of the national
sample of utilities, but that rural
cooperatives will achieve smaller
3
4
5
6
99.00
5.6
71.4
23.1
827
4.4
Efficiency (%) ...................................................................................................
Transformers with Net Increase in LCC (%) ...................................................
Transformers with No Change in LCC (%) .....................................................
Transformers with Net Savings in LCC (%) ....................................................
Mean LCC Savings ($) ....................................................................................
Payback of Average Transformer (years) .......................................................
2
99.15
7.2
55.2
37.6
3658
5.6
99.30
7.4
45.4
47.2
6950
5.6
99.45
46.0
1.5
52.6
6832
9.6
99.55
78.1
0.0
21.9
(9886)
18.7
99.55
78.1
0.0
21.9
(9886)
18.7
operating cost savings from higher
standards than will the average utility.
Consequently, rural cooperatives, but
not municipal utilities, will generally
have a longer payback period for any
given standard level than will the
average utility. 71 FR 44389–90. (See
TSD Chapter 11 for information on the
LCC Subgroup Analysis) Thus, on
average, rural cooperatives will benefit
less per affected transformer from
efficiency improvements than either the
average utility or municipal utilities.
For each of the two commercial
consumer subgroups, Table VI.13 shows
the mean LCC savings at each TSL, and
Table VI.14 shows the mean PBP (in
years). DOE included only the liquidimmersed design lines in this analysis
since those types are more than ninety
percent of the transformers purchased
by electric utilities.
TABLE VI.13.—MEAN LIFE-CYCLE COST SAVINGS FOR LIQUID-IMMERSED TRANSFORMERS PURCHASED BY CERTAIN
CONSUMER SUBGROUPS ($)
Trial standard level
Design line
1
2
D
C
B
3
4
A
5
6
109
21
1920
577
4094
118
74
1885
661
3708
116
75
1674
661
4094
(23)
(106)
1674
442
2096
(23)
(19)
(1779)
(563)
(3192)
(1003)
(1073)
(2837)
(1338)
(3192)
120
71
1114
653
1537
61
67
786
653
1505
(131)
(148)
786
173
292
(131)
(51)
(3324)
(1216)
(8122)
(1218)
(1174)
(4518)
(2064)
(8122)
Municipal Utility Subgroup
1
2
3
4
5
...............................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
118
55
1357
435
2370
118
59
1691
577
3154
116
75
1690
577
3708
109
21
1798
577
3708
Rural Cooperative Subgroup
1
2
3
4
5
...............................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
120
54
835
247
945
120
61
1151
353
1371
61
67
1151
353
1537
49
4
1215
353
1537
49
4
1155
353
1505
TABLE VI.14.— PAYBACK PERIOD FOR AVERAGE LIQUID-IMMERSED TRANSFORMERS PURCHASED BY CERTAIN CONSUMER
SUBGROUPS (YEARS)
Trial standard level
Design line
1
2
D
C
B
3
4
A
5
6
10.6
15.6
5.5
9.8
8.0
2.5
7.1
5.5
11.8
6.6
9.0
8.0
9.7
11.8
8.0
18.5
24.0
9.7
13.3
14.1
18.5
18.5
21.8
20.5
20.5
35.4
50.6
24.2
24.2
20.5
2.5
7.8
7.9
12.0
10.5
11.9
8.8
12.7
12.0
12.2
24.8
26.7
12.7
15.6
16.9
24.8
21.5
27.6
25.1
27.6
44.6
58.1
31.0
30.0
27.6
Municipal Utility Subgroup
1
2
3
4
5
...............................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
2.5
8.4
2.0
7.0
4.3
2.5
8.6
3.3
9.8
5.3
9.0
8.0
3.3
9.8
6.6
10.6
15.6
3.9
9.8
6.6
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
Rural Cooperative Subgroup
1
2
3
4
5
...............................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
VerDate Aug<31>2005
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8.4
3.3
9.6
7.9
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8.6
4.7
11.8
8.8
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11.9
8.8
4.7
11.8
10.5
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13.4
16.9
5.5
11.8
10.5
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13.4
16.9
7.8
11.8
12.2
E:\FR\FM\12OCR2.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 197 / Friday, October 12, 2007 / Rules and Regulations
Chapter 11 of the TSD explains DOE’s
method for conducting the commercial
consumer subgroup analysis and
presents the detailed results of that
analysis.
2. Economic Impact on Manufacturers
DOE determined the economic
impacts of today’s standard on
manufacturers, as described in the
proposed rule. 71 FR 44363, 44376,
44381–44383, 44390–44393. As
described in Section IV.F above, for this
final rule DOE modeled the partial
conversion to amorphous core
construction for TSL3, TSL4, and TSLA
(with no change in the methodology for
TSL5 and TSL6). DOE analyzed
manufacturer impacts under two
scenarios—the ‘preservation-of-grossmargin-percentage’ scenario and the
‘preservation-of-operating-profit’
scenario. Under the preservation-ofgross-margin-percentage scenario, DOE
applied a single uniform ‘‘gross margin
percentage’’ markup across all efficiency
change in INPV, which is the primary
metric from the MIA. DOE calculated
the INPV in the base and standards
cases by discounting the projected free
cash flows at the real corporate discount
rate of 8.9 percent. This method of
calculating INPV provides one measure
of the value of the industry in present
value terms. The impact of new
standards on INPV is then the difference
between the INPV in the base case and
the INPV in the standards case (with
new standards). The tables also present
the product conversion expenses and
capital investments that the industry
would incur at each TSL. Product
conversion expenses include
engineering, prototyping, testing, and
marketing expenses incurred by a
manufacturer as it prepares to come into
compliance with a standard. Capital
investments are the one-time outlays for
equipment and buildings required for
the industry to come into compliance
(i.e., conversion capital expenditures).
levels. As production costs increase
with efficiency, this scenario implies
that the absolute dollar markup will
increase. Under the preservation-ofoperating-profit scenario, operating
profit is defined as earnings before
interest and taxes. The implicit
assumption behind this markup
scenario is that the industry can
maintain its operating profit (in absolute
dollars) after the standard. The industry
would do so by passing through its
increased costs to customers without
increasing its operating profits in
absolute dollars. DOE fully describes
these two scenarios and the complete
manufacturer impact analysis in
Chapter 12 of the TSD.
a. Industry Cash-Flow Analysis Results
Using the two markup scenarios,
Tables VI.15 and VI.16 show the
estimated impacts for the liquidimmersed and medium-voltage, drytype transformer industries,
respectively. These tables show the
TABLE VI.15.—MANUFACTURER IMPACT ANALYSIS FOR LIQUID-IMMERSED TRANSFORMER INDUSTRY
Units
Product Conversion
Expenses.
Capital Investments ...
Total Investment Required.
Trial standard level
Base
case
1
2
D
C
B
3
4
A
5
6
($M)* ........
*n/a
0
0
0
0
0
87
89
103
120
176
($M) .........
($M) .........
n/a
n/a
5.2
5.2
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8
8.0
8.0
5.4
5.4
17
104
17
106
18
121
41
161
178
354
598
(11)
(1.9)
606
(2.9)
(0.5)
657
48
7.9
703
94
16
809
200
33
509
(100)
(17)
497
(112)
(18)
440
(169)
(28)
357
(252)
(41)
33.3
(576)
(95)
Preservation-of-Gross-Margin-Percentage Scenario
INPV ...........................
Change in INPV .........
($M) .........
($M) .........
(%) ...........
609
n/a
n/a
622
13
2.1
637
28
4.6
646
37
6.0
656
47
7.7
662
53
8.8
Preservation-of-Operating-Profit Scenario
INPV ...........................
Change in INPV .........
($M) .........
($M) .........
(%) ...........
609
n/a
n/a
590
(19)
(3.2)
587
(22)
(3.7)
577
(32)
(5.2)
562
(47)
(7.7)
558
(51)
(8.3)
* ($M) = millions of dollars; n/a = not applicable.
TABLE VI.16.—MANUFACTURER IMPACT ANALYSIS FOR MEDIUM-VOLTAGE, DRY-TYPE TRANSFORMER INDUSTRY
Product Conversion Expenses .....................
Capital Investments ......................................
Total Investment Required ...........................
Trial standard level
Base
case
Units
($M)* .........................
($M) ...........................
($M) ...........................
1
*n/a
n/a
n/a
2
3
4
5
6
3.7
6.8
10.5
4.1
7.1
11.2
5.8
15
20.8
5.8
15
20.8
33
(3.2)
(8.9)
31
(5.2)
(15)
33
(3.2)
(8.9)
37
0.9
2.5
37
0.9
2.5
..............
..............
..............
..............
..............
0
2.1
2.1
0
5.5
5.5
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
Preservation-of-Gross-Margin-Percentage Scenario
INPV .............................................................
Change in INPV ............................................
($M) ...........................
($M) ...........................
(%) ............................
36
n/a
n/a
35
(1.1)
(3.1)
Preservation-of-Operating-Profit Scenario
INPV .............................................................
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($M) ...........................
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..............
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TABLE VI.16.—MANUFACTURER IMPACT ANALYSIS FOR MEDIUM-VOLTAGE, DRY-TYPE TRANSFORMER INDUSTRY—
Continued
Base
case
Units
Change in INPV ............................................
($M) ...........................
(%) ............................
n/a
n/a
Trial standard level
1
2
3
(2.1)
(5.9)
(5.2)
(15)
(8.8)
(25)
4
(11)
(29)
5
(24)
(67)
6
(24)
(67)
* ($M) = millions of dollars; n/a = not applicable.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
The proposed rule provides
additional information on the
methodology, assumptions, and results
of this analysis. 71 FR 44382, 44390,
44399–44400, 44403. Chapter 12 of the
TSD explains DOE’s method for
conducting the manufacturer impact
analysis and presents the detailed
results of that analysis.
b. Impacts on Employment
For liquid-immersed transformers,
DOE expects no significant, discernable
direct employment impacts among
transformer manufacturers for TSLs 1, 2,
D, C, B, 3, and 4, but potentially
significant changes in employment for
TSLA (44 percent increase), TSL5 (18
percent increase), and TSL6 (38 percent
increase). Employment impacts are
changes in the numbers of employees
involved with transformer production at
the manufacturing facilities. These
estimated changes are due to the
increased labor time needed to construct
the cores and assemble the transformers.
At these higher TSLs, the cores tend to
be larger and the processing time per
pound of amorphous material is higher
than that of silicon steel—both of these
effects lead to the need for more labor.
Thus, the larger cores would increase
the direct employment at transformer
manufacturing facilities.
These conclusions—which are
separate from any conclusions regarding
employment impacts on the broader
U.S. economy—are based on modeling
results that address neither the possible
relocation of domestic transformer
manufacturing employment to lower
labor-cost countries, nor the possibility
of outsourcing amorphous core
production under TSLs 3, 4, A, 5 and 6
to companies in other countries. The
reported modeling results simply
capture the changes in direct labor
needed to produce transformers at each
TSL. DOE discussed this scenario of
outsourcing amorphous core production
to other countries during several
interviews with manufacturers of liquidimmersed transformers, and it appears
that outsourcing would be a serious
consideration for some liquid-immersed
transformer manufacturers under TSLs
3, 4, A, 5, and 6.
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In addition, as discussed in the
proposed rule, DOE expects today’s
standard to have a relatively minor
differential impact on small
manufacturers of liquid-immersed
distribution transformers. 71 FR 44382,
44392–44393, 44401–44403. For
medium-voltage, dry-type
manufacturers, however, all
manufacturers would have to develop
designs to enable compliance with TSL3
or higher, and small businesses would
be at a relative disadvantage.
DOE expects no significant,
discernable employment impacts among
medium-voltage, dry-type transformer
manufacturers for any TSL compared to
the base case. DOE’s conclusion
regarding employment impacts in the
medium-voltage, dry-type transformer
industry is separate from any
conclusions regarding employment
impacts on the broader U.S. economy.
Increased employment levels are not
expected at higher TSLs because the
core-cutting equipment typically
purchased by the medium-voltage, drytype industry is highly automated and
includes core-stacking equipment.
Another concern conveyed by some
manufacturers of medium-voltage, drytype transformers during the interviews
is the potential impact stemming from
cast-coil transformer competitiveness at
higher TSLs. These manufacturers
claimed that setting a standard above a
certain threshold may trigger a market
switch from open-wound ventilated
transformers to cast-coil transformers.
Manufacturers suggest that this
crossover point likely occurs at TSL3
and higher. If the market does shift to
cast-coil transformers, there is a risk of
imported, pre-fabricated cast coils
dominating the market in the long term.
This would have a significant impact on
domestic industry value and domestic
employment in the medium-voltage,
dry-type industry.
The basis for the conclusions
presented above is set forth in Chapter
12 of the TSD, Sections 12.4.4.1 and
12.5.4.1 for liquid-immersed and
medium-voltage, dry-type transformers,
respectively.
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c. Impacts on Manufacturing Capacity
For the liquid-immersed distribution
transformer industry, DOE believes that
there are only minor production
capacity implications for a standard at
TSLs 1, 2, D, C, and B. At TSL6, all
liquid-immersed design lines would
have to convert to amorphous
technology, the most energy efficient
core material. At TSL5, three design
lines would have to convert to
amorphous core designs. For TSLs A, 4,
and 3, there would likely be partial
conversion to amorphous core designs
for one or two design lines. Conversion
to amorphous core designs would
render obsolete a large portion of the
equipment used today for the affected
design lines (e.g., annealing furnaces,
core-cutting and winding equipment).
Based on the manufacturer interviews,
DOE believes that TSLs 3, 4, A, 5, and
6 would cause liquid-immersed
transformer manufacturers to decide
whether they would need to invest in
retooling their production equipment
for amorphous technology or attempt to
purchase pre-fabricated amorphous
cores (for the affected design lines). For
TSL6, some manufacturers indicated
that they would close their companies,
rather than attempt to manufacturer
transformers at that standard level.
Manufacturers also indicated that, if
they were to choose to produce
amorphous cores themselves, they
would face a critical decision about
whether or not to relocate outside of the
U.S., since much of their equipment
would become obsolete. As mentioned
above, if manufacturers choose to
purchase pre-fabricated amorphous
cores, they might purchase them from
foreign manufacturers.
Energy conservation standards will
affect the medium-voltage, dry-type
industry’s manufacturing capacity
because the core stack heights (or core
steel piece length) will increase and
laminations will become thinner.
Thinner laminations require more cuts
and are more cumbersome to handle.
Therefore, manufacturers would have to
invest in additional core-mitering
machinery or modifications and
improvements to recover any losses in
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productivity, and these factors might
also contribute to a need for more plant
floor space. Because more efficient
transformers tend to be larger, this could
also contribute to the need for
additional manufacturing floor space.
d. Impacts on Manufacturers That Are
Small Businesses
Converting from a company’s current
basic product line involves designing,
prototyping, testing, and manufacturing
a new product. These tasks have
associated capital investments and
product conversion expenses. Small
businesses, because of their limited
access to capital and their need to
spread conversion costs over smaller
production volumes, may be affected
more negatively than major
manufacturers by an energy
conservation standard. For these
reasons, DOE specifically evaluated the
impacts on small businesses of an
energy conservation standard.
The Small Business Administration
defines a small business, for the
distribution transformer industry, as a
business that has 750 or fewer
employees. DOE estimates that, of the
approximately 25 U.S. manufacturers
that make liquid-immersed distribution
transformers, about 15 of them are small
businesses. About five of the smallliquid-immersed-transformer businesses
have fewer than 100 employees. DOE
estimates that, of the 25 U.S.
manufacturers that make mediumvoltage, dry-type distribution
transformers, about 20 of them are small
businesses. About one-half of the
medium-voltage, dry-type small
businesses have fewer than 100
employees. Medium-voltage, dry-type
transformer manufacturing is more
concentrated than liquid-immersed
transformer manufacturing; the top
three companies manufacture over 75
percent of all transformers in this
category.
As discussed in the proposed rule,
DOE expects minimum efficiency
standards to have a relatively minor
differential impact on small
manufacturers of liquid-immersed
distribution transformers. 71 FR 44401–
44402. Although DOE proposed to adopt
TSL2, and is today promulgating a
standard higher than that for all liquidimmersed design lines other than design
line 4, DOE believes that the reasoning
presented in the proposed rule is still
relevant and valid: DOE does not expect
today’s standard to have a significant
economic impact on a substantial
number of small manufacturers of
liquid-immersed transformers. Since the
standard does not require manufacturers
to change manufacturing equipment,
DOE concludes that the standards
adopted today will have minor
differential impact on small
manufacturers of liquid-immersed
transformers. This is based on the fact
that manufacturing equipment and
materials that are currently available
will be used to meet the standard which
will provide manufacturers flexibility in
meeting the standards, and
manufacturers will not be required to retool in order to meet the standards. (See
Section VII.B.4). For medium-voltage,
dry-type manufacturers, DOE stated in
the proposed rule that it would
anticipate some small business impacts
at all TSLs. However, DOE believes that
the incremental impact on small
businesses in moving from TSL2 to
TSL3 is greater than that in moving from
TSL1 to TSL2 (see Section VII.B.4 for a
more detailed discussion). DOE
explicitly considered impacts on small
businesses in selecting TSL2 and
rejecting higher levels for mediumvoltage, dry-type transformers. 71 FR
44382, 44392–44393, 44401–44403. See
section VII.B on the Regulatory
Flexibility Act for more discussion on
this point.
3. National Net Present Value and Net
National Employment
The NPV analysis estimates the
cumulative benefits or costs to the
Nation that would result from particular
standard levels. While the NES analysis
estimates the energy savings from a
proposed energy conservation standard,
the NPV analysis provides estimates of
the national economic impacts of a
proposed standard relative to a base
case of no new standard. Tables VI.17
and VI.18 provide an overview of the
NPV results, using both a seven percent
and a three percent real discount rate.
See TSD Chapter 10 for more detailed
NPV results.
TABLE VI.17.—OVERVIEW OF NATIONAL NET PRESENT VALUE ($, BILLION) FOR LIQUID-IMMERSED TRANSFORMERS
Discount
rate
(%)
Type
Trial standard level
D
C
B
3
4
A
5
6
3.15
0.98
3.42
1.04
3.58
0.94
2.97
0.14
2.98
0.14
3.74
1.17
3.60
0.93
(0.31)
(2.28)
1.02
(1.33)
(24.5)
(18.5)
3
7
Liquid-Immersed ThreePhase ..........................
2
3
7
Liquid-Immersed SinglePhase ..........................
1
2.42
0.71
3.64
0.91
3.98
0.96
3.98
0.96
4.28
0.97
5.42
1.20
5.72
1.21
4.78
0.38
0.38
(3.56)
(1.58)
(4.75)
TABLE VI.18.—OVERVIEW OF NATIONAL NET PRESENT VALUE ($, BILLION) FOR MEDIUM-VOLTAGE, DRY-TYPE
TRANSFORMERS
Discount
rate
(%)
Type
Medium-Voltage Dry-Type Single-Phase ..............................
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Medium-Voltage Dry-Type Three-Phase ...............................
DOE also estimated the national
employment impacts that would result
from each of the TSLs. As discussed in
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3
7
3
7
Trial standard level
1
2
3
4
5
6
0.005
0.002
0.461
0.157
0.008
0.003
0.843
0.280
0.011
0.004
1.170
0.375
0.015
0.004
1.531
0.441
0.010
0.001
1.008
(0.086)
0.010
0.001
1.008
(0.086)
the proposed rule, 71 FR 44383–44384,
44394, DOE expects the net monetary
savings from standards to be redirected
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to other forms of economic activity.
DOE also expects these shifts in
spending and economic activity to affect
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the demand for labor as spending shifts
from less labor-intensive to more laborintensive sectors of the economy.
As shown in Tables VI.19 and VI.20,
DOE estimated net indirect employment
impacts (i.e., those changes of
employment in the larger economy,
other than in the manufacturing sector
being regulated) from today’s
distribution transformer energy
conservation standards to be positive.
According to DOE’s analysis, the
number of jobs that may be generated by
2038 through indirect impacts ranged
from 4,000 to 14,000 for liquidimmersed transformers, and from 400 to
1,500 for medium voltage, dry-type
transformers for the range of TSLs
considered in this rulemaking. While
DOE’s analysis suggests that the
distribution transformer standards could
result in a very small increase in the net
demand for labor in the economy,
relative to total national employment,
this increase would likely be sufficient
to offset fully any adverse impacts on
employment that might occur in the
distribution transformer or energy
industries. For details on the
employment impact analysis methods
and results, see TSD Chapter 14.
TABLE VI.19.—NET NATIONAL CHANGE IN JOBS (THOUSANDS): LIQUID-IMMERSED TRANSFORMER STANDARDS
Trial standard level
Year
1
2010
2020
2030
2038
.........................
.........................
.........................
.........................
2
1.7
1.5
2.8
4
D
2.3
2
3.9
5.4
C
2.5
2.2
4.4
6.2
B
2.8
2.4
4.9
7.0
3
2.9
2.5
5.2
7.4
4
3.2
2.7
5.3
7.4
A
3.4
2.9
5.7
8.1
5
3.7
3.0
6.8
10
6
4.5
4.1
9.5
14
3.3
1.5
8.0
13.4
TABLE VI.20.—NET NATIONAL CHANGE IN JOBS (THOUSANDS): DRY-TYPE, MEDIUM-VOLTAGE TRANSFORMER STANDARDS
Trial standard level
Year
1
2010
2020
2030
2038
.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
4. Impact on Utility or Performance of
Equipment
As discussed in section V.A.4 of the
proposed rule, DOE believes that,
because of the steps it had taken in
establishing classes of products and in
evaluating design options and the
impact of potential standard levels (71
FR 44394), as well as the additional
steps taken in today’s final rule,
including the consideration of design
constraints for vault-transformers (see
section V.B.4.a) and the evaluation of
higher BIL voltages (see section
V.A.1.a), the new standards it is
adopting today will not lessen the
utility or performance of distribution
transformers. (See also TSD, Chapters 4
and 5)
5. Impact of Any Lessening of
Competition
As previously discussed in the NOPR,
71 FR 44363–44364, 44394, and in
section III.D.5 of this preamble, DOE
considers any lessening of competition
that is likely to result from standards.
The Attorney General determines the
impact, if any, of any such lessening of
competition.
DOJ concluded that the distribution
transformer standards contained in the
proposed rule may adversely affect
competition with respect to distribution
transformers used in industries, such as
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2
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.3
underground coal mining, where
physical conditions limit the size of the
equipment that may be effectively
utilized. DOJ understands that
manufacturers would not be able to
satisfy the proposed standard without
increasing the size (or decreasing the
power) of each class of distribution
transformer. Mining companies facing
space constraints would incur
significantly increased costs due to
enlarging the required installation space
(which, for example, could involve
removal of solid rock around coal seams
in underground mines) or reconfiguring
the size and number of each class of
distribution transformer at each site.
The resulting cost increases could
constitute production inefficiencies that
could make certain products less
competitive. For example, the rule
could, by raising the costs of certain
coal mines, adversely affect production
decisions at those mines and potentially
result in increased use of less efficient
energy alternatives. DOJ urged the DOE
to consider these concerns carefully in
its analysis, and to consider creating an
exception for distribution transformers
used in industries with space
constraints. (DOJ, No. 157 at p.2) DOE
considered this input from DOJ, along
with comments from several
stakeholders, and as discussed in
section IV.A.2 of this preamble, decided
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3
0.2
0.2
0.3
0.5
4
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.8
5
0.3
0.4
0.6
1.1
6
0.4
0.5
0.8
1.5
0.4
0.5
0.8
1.5
to treat space-constrained underground
mining transformers as a separate
product class in this final rule, and not
to apply today’s standards to these
transformers. DOE is also reserving a
subsection in section 431.196 for
underground mining transformer
efficiency standards. Energy
conservation standards for underground
mining transformers are not included as
part of today’s final rule and will be
determined at a later date.
6. Need of the Nation to Conserve
Energy
The Secretary of Energy recognizes
the need of the Nation to save energy.
Enhanced energy efficiency, where
economically justified, improves the
Nation’s energy security, strengthens the
economy, and reduces the
environmental impacts or costs of
energy production. The energy savings
from distribution transformer standards
result in reduced emissions of CO2.
Reduced electricity demand from
today’s energy conservation standards is
also likely to reduce the cost of
maintaining the reliability of the
electricity system, particularly during
peak-load periods. As a measure of this
reduced demand, DOE expects today’s
standards to eliminate the need for the
construction of approximately six new
400-megawatt combined-cycle gas
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turbine power plants by 2038 and to
save 2.74 quads of electricity
(cumulative, 2010–2038). The energy
savings are higher in the final rule
analysis compared to DOE’s NOPR
savings of 2.4 quads of electricity over
the same period. Table VI.21 provides
DOE’s estimate of cumulative power
sector CO2 reductions for an uncapped
emissions scenario for the TSLs
considered in this rulemaking.
As discussed in the NOPR, the Clean
Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), which the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) issued on March 10, 2005, will
permanently cap emissions of NOX in
28 eastern states and the District of
Columbia. 70 FR 25162 (May 12, 2005).
economic effects of emissions
reductions are included in the
forecasted projection of electricity
prices and thus are included in DOE’s
NPV analysis, but are not reported
separately. For details of the emissions
reduction calculations and discussion,
see the environmental analysis report in
the TSD.
DOE also calculated discounted
values for future emissions, using the
same seven percent and three percent
real discount rates that it used in
calculating the NPV. Table VI.21 also
shows the discounted cumulative
emissions impacts for both liquidimmersed and dry-type, mediumvoltage transformers.
As with SO2 emissions, for which a cap
was previously in place, a cap on NOX
emissions means that equipment
efficiency standards may have no
physical effect on these emissions.
Similarly, emissions of Hg for the power
sector are also subject to emissions caps
during the evaluation period, so that
distribution transformer standards may
similarly result in no physical effect on
these emissions. DOE evaluated the
emissions forecasts from AEO2006 and
AEO2007 and found that, because these
new regulations capped most power
sector NOX and Hg emissions,
decreasing energy use from the
proposed standard would not have any
net physical emissions reduction. The
TABLE VI.21.—CO2 EMISSION REDUCTIONS OF THE TRIAL STANDARD LEVELS
[In millions of metric tons]
Trial standard level
Type
Discount rate
1
Liquid-Immersed ...........................
Medium-Voltage Dry-Type* ..........
none ..............................................
3% .................................................
7% .................................................
none ..............................................
3% .................................................
7% .................................................
2
D
C
B
3
4
A
5
6
125
62
27
5.8
2.9
1.2
176
87
38
11.8
5.8
2.5
199
99
43
........
........
........
238
118
51
........
........
........
251
124
54
........
........
........
248
123
53
17.1
8.5
3.7
272
135
59
24.8
12.3
5.3
369
183
80
........
........
........
464
230
100
36.9
18.3
8.0
674
334
145
36.9
18.3
8.0
* Medium-voltage dry-type distribution transformers did not have any trial standard levels set for TSLA through TSLD.
Emissions are roughly proportional to
energy savings. The emissions
reductions are slightly higher in the
final rule analysis compared to DOE’s
NOPR analysis because of the slightly
greater amount of coal-generated
electricity in the updated AEO2006 and
AEO2007 forecasts that DOE used for
the utility and environmental analysis
(See TSD Chapter 13 and the
Environmental Impact Analysis Report
in the TSD).
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
7. Other Factors
In developing today’s standard, the
Secretary took into consideration four
‘Other Factors’: (1) Availability of high
BIL primary voltages (see TSD
Appendix 5D); (2) materials price
sensitivity analysis (see TSD
Appendices 5C and 8F); (3) materials
availability analysis (see TSD Appendix
8H); and (4) consistency between singlephase and three-phase designs (for
liquid-immersed distribution
transformers only, see TSD Appendix
8I). Each of these factors is described
briefly in section V.7 of today’s rule and
discussed in some detail in other parts
of today’s rule. Specifically section
V.A.1.a discusses voltage issues, section
V.A.1.b discusses materials price issues,
in section V.A.1.d describes materials
availability issues, and section V.B.7.d
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describes single-phase and three-phase
consistency issues.
D. Conclusion
EPCA contains criteria for prescribing
new or amended energy conservation
standards. DOE must prescribe
standards only for those distribution
transformers for which DOE: (1) has
determined that standards would be
technologically feasible and
economically justified and would result
in significant energy savings, and (2) has
prescribed test procedures. (42 U.S.C.
6317(a)) Moreover, DOE has analyzed
whether today’s standards for
distribution transformers will achieve
the maximum improvement in energy
efficiency that is technologically
feasible and economically justified. (See
42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(A), 6316(a), and
6317(a) and (c)) Today’s final rule will
not result in the unavailability in the
U.S. of any covered product type (or
class) of transformer with performance
characteristics (i.e., reliability, features,
sizes, capacities and voltages) that are
substantively the same as those
generally available in the U.S. prior to
these new standards.
In determining whether a standard is
economically justified, DOE determines
whether the benefits of the standard
exceed its costs. (See 42 U.S.C.
PO 00000
Frm 00038
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6295(o)(2)(B)(i)) Any new or amended
standard for distribution transformers
must result in significant energy
savings. (42 U.S.C. 6317(a); 42 U.S.C.
6295 (o)(3)(B); see 42 U.S.C.
6295(o)(2)(B))
In selecting energy conservation
standards for distribution transformers,
DOE started by comparing the
maximum technologically feasible
levels with the base case, and
determined whether those levels were
economically justified. Upon finding the
maximum technologically feasible
levels not to be justified, DOE analyzed
the next lower TSL to determine
whether that level was economically
justified. DOE repeated this procedure
until it identified a TSL that was
economically justified.
Tables VI.22 and VI.23 summarize
DOE’s quantitative analysis results for
each TSL. Each table presents the
results or, in some cases, a range of
results, for the underlying design lines
for liquid-immersed transformers (Table
VI.22), and medium-voltage, dry-type
transformers for (Table VI.23). The range
of values reported in these tables for
LCC, payback, and average increase in
consumer equipment cost before
installation encompasses the range of
results DOE calculated for either the
liquid-immersed or medium-voltage,
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 197 / Friday, October 12, 2007 / Rules and Regulations
dry-type representative units. The range
of values for manufacturer impact
represents the results for the
preservation-of-operating-profit scenario
and preservation-of-gross-margin
scenario at each TSL for liquid-
immersed and medium-voltage, drytype transformers.
TABLE VI.22.—SUMMARY OF LIQUID-IMMERSED DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS ANALYTICAL RESULTS
Trial standard level
Criteria
TSL1
Energy saved (quads) .........
Generation capacity offset
(GW) ................................
NPV ($ billions)
@ 7% discount .............
@ 3% discount .............
Emission reductions, CO2
(Mt) ..................................
Life-cycle cost *
Net increase in LCC
(%) ............................
No change in LCC (%)
Net savings in LCC (%)
Payback for average transformer (years) * ...............
Life-cycle cost, 2006 Material Price *
Net increase in LCC
(%) ............................
No change in LCC (%)
Net savings in LCC (%)
Payback for average transformer, 2006 Material
Price (years) * ..................
Average increase in consumer equipment cost before installation (%) *, **,
† .......................................
Manufacturer impact ***
INPV ($ millions) ..........
INPV change (%) .........
LCC selected designs with
amorphous (%) * .............
LCC selected designs with
core steel better than M3
(i.e., M2, ZDMH, SA1)
(%) * .................................
Voltage sensitivity–achieve
standard with silicon core
steel .................................
Single-phase, three-phase
consistency ......................
TSL2
TSLD
TSLC
TSLB
TSL3
TSL4
TSLA
TSL5
TSL6
1.38
1.94
2.18
2.61
2.75
2.76
3.00
4.07
5.07
7.37
1.4
1.9
2.1
2.5
2.7
2.7
2.9
3.9
5.0
7.2
1.68
5.57
1.95
7.06
1.91
7.56
1.11
6.95
1.11
7.26
2.37
9.17
2.13
9.33
(1.89)
4.47
(4.89)
1.40
(23.3)
(26.1)
125
176
199
238
251
248
272
369
464
674
1.4–12.1
42.0–66.7
28.2–45.9
1.4–20.7
20.6–66.1
31.9–58.7
1.4–20.7
20.6–59.0
33.2–58.7
2.5–42.5
16.5–56.5
36.5–58.7
8.1–42.5
16.5–47.1
36.5–58.7
2.0–18.9
13.0–66.1
31.9–68.2
12.4–44.3
2.1–50.0
33.2–68.2
32.4–79.6
0.1–13.0
20.3–54.6
57.7–84.8
0.0–10.0
15.2–32.3
84.8–99.5
0.0–0.0
0.5–15.2
2.3–7.8
2.4–10.4
3.6–10.4
4.3–15.7
8.9–15.7
2.4–11.4
7.8–11.4
10.6–24.7
19.3–23.4
21.6–52.1
6.8–48.2
17.2–54.9
29.6–39.5
15.9–54.4
12.3–46.8
33.4–59.0
16.4–45.3
8.9–32.2
25.0–59.0
13.4–53.8
1.8–32.2
25.1–62.4
17.7–53.8
1.8–23.5
25.1–58.8
11.1–48.3
9.2–46.8
36.2–74.2
11.1–65.2
0.4–29.7
25.0–74.2
11.4–88.5
0.1–14.7
11.4–73.9
56.4–91.4
0.0–1.7
8.6–41.9
91.4–99.8
0.0–0.0
0.3–8.6
4.7–17.8
8.4–19.5
8.4–19.4
8.7–20.8
10.2–20.8
9.8–17.8
10.7–19.4
10.7–29.1
18.8–26.7
26.7–58.3
3.2–7.1
2.7–20.7
8.1–20.7
10.0–21.1
10.0–22.1
2.7–45.9
8.0–45.9
20.0–60.6
24.7–138.6
132.9–161.3
(19)–13
(3.2)–2.1
(22)–28
(3.7)–4.6
(32)–37
(5.2)–6.0
(47)–47
(7.7)–7.7
(51)–53
(8.3)–8.8
(100)–(11)
(17)–(1.9)
(112)–(2.9)
(18)–(0.5)
(169)–48
(28)–7.9
(252)–94
(41)–16
(576)–200
(95)–33
0–13
0–14
0–14
0–14
0–14
0–95
0–95
0–84
0–100
100–100
1–54
2–79
2–100
2–84
2–100
2–99
2–100
4–100
4–100
100–100
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
* Range represents the results for each of the five representative units derived from the individual design lines analyzed in the LCC.
** Percent increase in consumer equipment cost before installation, five-year average material pricing.
† DOE recognizes that these cost changes are the average changes for the Nation, and that some individual customers will experience larger changes, particularly
if these customers are not evaluating losses when purchasing transformers.
*** Range represents the results of the ‘preservation-of-operating-profit’ and ‘preservation-of-gross-margin-percentage’ scenarios in the MIA.
TABLE VI.23.—SUMMARY OF MEDIUM-VOLTAGE, DRY-TYPE DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS ANALYTICAL RESULTS
Trial standard level
Criteria
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
TSL1
Energy saved (quads) ......................................................
Generation capacity offset (GW) .....................................
Discounted energy saved, 7% (quads) ...........................
NPV ($ billions):
@ 7% discount .........................................................
@ 3% discount .........................................................
Emission reductions CO2 (Mt) .........................................
Life-cycle cost: *
Net increase in LCC (%) ..........................................
No change in LCC (%) .............................................
Net savings in LCC (%) ............................................
Payback for average transformer (years) * .....................
Average increase in consumer equipment cost before
installation (%) *, **, † ..................................................
Life-cycle cost, 2006 Material Price:*
Net increase in LCC (%) ..........................................
No change in LCC (%) .............................................
Net savings in LCC (%) ............................................
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TSL2
TSL3
TSL4
TSL5
TSL6
0.06
0.1
0.02
0.13
0.1
0.04
0.19
0.2
0.05
0.27
0.4
0.10
0.40
0.6
0.11
0.40
0.6
0.11
0.16
0.47
5.8
0.28
0.85
11.8
0.38
1.18
17.1
0.45
1.55
24.8
(0.08)
1.02
36.9
(0.08)
1.02
36.9
0.3–14.3
36.4–71.4
23.1–60.3
0.7–5.0
2.3–16.6
27.2–56.5
36.6–67.2
1.8–6.4
7.4–18.5
10.8–45.4
47.2–76.1
3.4–7.0
24.2–46.0
0.0–16.7
52.6–74.4
5.9–9.6
36.5–78.1
0
21.9–63.5
7.8–18.7
36.5–78.1
0
21.9–63.5
7.8–18.7
0.6–7.4
3.4–15.1
9.7–24.2
20.4–39.6
43.6–95.1
43.6–95.1
0.7–23.8
10.8–66.2
26.5–75.3
4.2–61.3
1.7–33.2
37–78.1
18.7–54.5
0.9–11.1
44.6–76.8
33.7–62.7
0–3.1
37.2–66.2
49.7–88.3
0–0
11.7–50.3
49.7–88.3
0–0
11.7–50.3
Frm 00039
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TABLE VI.23.—SUMMARY OF MEDIUM-VOLTAGE, DRY-TYPE DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS ANALYTICAL RESULTS—
Continued
Trial standard level
Criteria
TSL1
Payback for average transformer, 2006 Material Price
(years) * ........................................................................
Manufacturer impact:***
INPV ($ millions) .......................................................
INPV change (%) ......................................................
LCC designs with thin laminations of core steel (i.e.,
M3, HO) (%) * ..............................................................
TSL2
TSL3
TSL4
TSL5
TSL6
0.7–5.9
2.1–12.9
6.3–12.2
8.5–14.0
11.4–24.3
11.4–24.3
(2.1)–(1.1)
(5.9)–(3.1)
(5.2)–(3.2)
(15)–(8.9)
(8.8)–(5.2)
(25)–(15)
(11)–(3.2)
(29)–(8.9)
(24)–0.9
(67)–2.5
(24)–0.9
(67)–2.5
30–69
40–88
92–100
100–100
100–100
100–100
* Range represents the results for each of the five representative units derived from the individual design lines analyzed in the LCC.
** Percent increase in consumer equipment cost before installation, five-year average material pricing.
†DOE recognizes that these cost changes are the average changes for the Nation, and that some individual customers will experience larger
changes, particularly if these customers are not evaluating losses when purchasing transformers.
*** Range represents the results of the ‘preservation-of-operating-profit’ and ‘preservation-of-gross-margin-percentage’ scenarios in the MIA.
1. Results for Liquid-Immersed
Distribution Transformers
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
a. Liquid-Immersed Transformers—Trial
Standard Level 6
First, DOE considered the most
efficient level (max tech), which would
save an estimated total of 7.37 quads of
energy through 2038, a significant
amount of energy. For the Nation as a
whole, TSL6 would have a net cost of
$23.3 billion and $26.1 billion at seven
percent and three percent discount
rates, respectively. At this level, the
majority of customers would experience
an increase in life-cycle costs. As shown
in Table VI.22, only 0.5–15.2 percent of
customers would experience lower lifecycle costs, depending on the design
line. Under the 2006 materials price
sensitivity analysis, this percentage
reduces to 0.3 to 8.6 percent of
customers. The payback periods for the
five-year average materials price
scenario at this standard level are
between 21.6 and 52.1 years, some of
which exceed the anticipated operating
life of the transformer (i.e., 32 years).
Under the 2006 materials price
sensitivity analysis, the paybacks
periods are longer, ranging from 26.7 to
58.3 years. The consumer equipment
cost before installation would more than
double for all design lines, a significant
increase for consumers. The impacts on
manufacturers would be very significant
because TSL6 would require a complete
conversion to amorphous core
technology. These conversion costs
would reduce the INPV by as much as
95 percent under the preservation-ofoperating-profit scenario. DOE estimates
that $49 million of existing assets would
be stranded (i.e., rendered useless) and
$178 million of conversion capital
expenditures would be required to
enable the industry to manufacture
compliant distribution transformers.
Additionally, TSL6 would be disruptive
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for manufacturers because it does not
achieve the consistent treatment of
single-phase and three-phase
transformers (see Appendix 8I). This
lack of consistency may cause large
market distortions (i.e., shifts between
single-phase and three-phase
transformers) and impact manufacturers
or plants that specialize in either singlephase or three-phase construction.
Furthermore, DOE is concerned that
TSL6 requires all distribution
transformers to be constructed of
amorphous material, and there isn’t
sufficient amorphous-ribbon production
capacity to replace silicon core steel.
Moreover, DOE’s primary voltage
sensitivity analysis found that TSL6
cannot be achieved using even the most
efficient conventional silicon steels for
any of the four design lines studied (see
TSD Appendix 5D), and thus TSL6
could eliminate certain voltages from
the marketplace unless amorphous core
transformers were constructed.
The energy savings at TSL6 would
reduce the installed generating capacity
by 7.2 gigawatts (GW), or roughly 18
large, 400 MW power plants. The
estimated emissions reductions through
this same time period are 674 Mt of CO2.
DOE concludes that at this TSL, the
benefits of energy savings, generating
capacity reductions, and emission
reductions would be outweighed by the
potential multi-billion dollar negative
net economic cost to the Nation, the
economic burden on customers as
indicated by large payback periods,
significant increases in installed cost,
and the large percentage of customers
who would experience life-cycle cost
increases, the stranded asset and
conversion capital costs that could
result in a large reduction in INPV for
manufacturers, the requirement of
amorphous material construction, and
the inconsistency between single-phase
and three-phase efficiency
PO 00000
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requirements. Consequently, DOE
concludes that TSL6, the max tech level,
is not economically justified.
b. Liquid-Immersed Transformers—Trial
Standard Level 5
Next, DOE considered TSL5, which
would save an estimated total of 5.07
quads of energy through 2038, a
significant amount of energy. For the
Nation as a whole, TSL5 would have a
net cost of $4.89 billion at a seven
percent discount rate or a net saving of
$1.40 billion at a three percent discount
rate. Under the five-year average
materials price scenario, between 15.2
to 32.3 percent of customers would
experience lower life-cycle costs, and
57.7 to 84.8 percent of customers would
have increased life-cycle costs,
depending on the design line. Under the
2006 materials price sensitivity analysis,
the percentage of customers with
increased life-cycle costs ranges
between 56.4 and 91.4 percent. The
payback periods for the five-year
average material price at this standard
level are between 19.3 and 23.4 years.
Under the 2006 materials price
sensitivity analysis, these payback
periods range between 18.8 and 26.7
years. The consumer equipment cost
before installation would increase by as
much as 138.6 percent for one of the
design lines analyzed, a significant
increase for consumers. The impacts on
manufacturers would be very significant
because TSL5 would require partial
conversion to amorphous core
technology. The conversion costs would
contribute to as much as a 41 percent
reduction in the INPV under the
preservation-of-operating-profit
scenario. DOE estimates that $13
million of existing assets would be
stranded and approximately $41 million
in conversion capital expenditures
would be required to enable the
industry to manufacture compliant
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sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
transformers. Additionally, TSL5 would
be disruptive for manufacturers because
it does not achieve the consistent
treatment of single-phase and threephase transformers (see Appendix 8I).
This lack of consistency may cause large
market distortions (i.e., shifts between
single-phase and three-phase
transformers) and impact manufacturers
or plants that specialize in either singlephase or three-phase construction.
Furthermore, DOE is concerned that
TSL5 requires three design lines to be
constructed of amorphous material, and
there may not be sufficient amorphousribbon production capacity to replace
silicon core steel for these design lines.
Moreover, DOE’s primary voltage
sensitivity analysis found that TSL5
cannot be achieved using even the most
efficient conventional silicon steels for
three of the four design lines studied
(see TSD Appendix 5D), and thus TSL5
could eliminate certain voltages from
the marketplace unless amorphous core
transformers were constructed. As
explained above, DOE has decided not
to set a standard that requires the use of
amorphous material, even if the
requirement would affect only a small
portion of the market.
The energy savings at TSL5 would
reduce the installed generating capacity
by 5.0 GW, or roughly 13 large, 400 MW
powerplants. The estimated emissions
reductions through this same time
period are 464 Mt of CO2. DOE
concludes that at this TSL, the benefits
of energy savings, generating capacity
reductions, and emission reductions
would be outweighed by the potential
negative net economic cost to the
Nation, the economic burden on
customers as indicated by long payback
periods, significant increases in
installed cost, and the large percentage
of customers who would experience
life-cycle cost increases, the stranded
asset and conversion capital costs that
could result in a large reduction in INPV
for manufacturers, the requirement of
amorphous material construction for
certain design lines, and the
inconsistency between single-phase and
three-phase efficiency requirements.
Consequently, DOE concludes that TSL5
is not economically justified.
c. Liquid-Immersed Transformers—Trial
Standard Level A
Next, DOE considered TSLA, which
would save an estimated total of 4.07
quads of energy through 2038, a
significant amount of energy. For the
Nation as a whole, TSLA would have a
net cost of $1.89 billion at a seven
percent discount rate or a net saving of
$4.47 billion at three percent discount
rate. Under the five-year average
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Jkt 214001
materials price scenario, 20.3 to 54.6
percent of customers would experience
lower life-cycle costs, while between
32.4 to 79.6 percent of customers would
have increased life-cycle costs. Under
the 2006 materials price sensitivity
analysis, 88.5 percent of consumers
would experience a net increase in lifecycle costs for one design line. Under
the five-year average materials price
scenario, the payback periods at this
standard level are between 10.6 and
24.7 years. Under the 2006 materials
price sensitivity analysis, the payback
periods are longer, ranging between 10.7
and 29.1 years. The consumer
equipment cost before installation
would increase by as much as 60.6
percent for one of the design lines
analyzed, a significant increase for
consumers. The impacts on
manufacturers would be significant
because TSLA would likely trigger
partial conversion to amorphous core
technology (design lines 4 and 5). The
conversion costs would contribute to as
much as a 28 percent reduction in the
INPV under the preservation-ofoperating-profit scenario. DOE estimates
that $3.5 million of existing assets
would be stranded and approximately
$18 million in conversion capital
expenditures would be required to
enable the industry to manufacture
compliant transformers. Furthermore,
DOE is concerned that TSLA requires 84
percent of one design line to be
constructed of amorphous material, and
there may not be sufficient amorphousribbon production capacity to replace
silicon core steel for that design line and
others that use amorphous material.
Moreover, DOE’s primary voltage
sensitivity analysis found that TSLA
cannot be achieved using even the most
efficient conventional silicon steels for
two of the four design lines studied (see
TSD Appendix 5D), and thus TSLA
could eliminate certain voltages from
the marketplace unless amorphous core
transformers were constructed. As
explained above, DOE has decided not
to set a standard that requires the use of
amorphous material, even if the
requirement would affect only a small
portion of the market.
The energy savings at TSLA would
reduce the installed generating capacity
by 3.9 GW, or roughly 10 large, 400 MW
powerplants. The estimated emissions
reductions through this same time
period are 369 Mt of CO2. DOE
concludes that at this TSL, the benefits
of energy savings, generating capacity
reductions, and emission reductions
would be outweighed by the potential
negative net economic cost to the
Nation, the economic burden on
PO 00000
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Sfmt 4700
58229
customers as indicated by large payback
periods, significant increases in
installed cost for certain design lines,
and the large percentage of customers
who would experience life-cycle cost
increases, the stranded asset and
conversion capital costs that could
result in a significant reduction in INPV
for manufacturers, and the high
proportion of amorphous material for
certain design lines. Consequently, DOE
concludes that TSLA is not
economically justified.
d. Liquid-Immersed Transformers—
Trial Standard Level 4
Next, DOE considered TSL4, which
would save an estimated total of 3.00
quads of energy through 2038, a
significant amount of energy. For the
Nation as a whole, TSL4 would result in
a net savings of $2.13 billion and $9.33
billion at seven percent and three
percent discount rates, respectively.
Under the five-year average materials
price scenario, lower life-cycle costs
would be experienced by between 33.2
and 68.2 percent of customers,
depending on the design line. Under
this same materials price scenario, 12.4
to 44.3 percent of customers would have
increased life-cycle costs. Under the
2006 materials price sensitivity analysis,
increased life-cycle costs are
experienced by up to 65.2 percent of
customers for one design line. Under the
five-year average materials price
scenario, the payback periods are
between 7.8 and 11.4 years. Under the
2006 materials price sensitivity analysis,
the payback periods increase to between
10.7 and 19.4 years. The consumer
equipment cost before installation
would increase by 45.9 percent for one
design line, a significant increase for
transformer consumers. The LCC
consumer choice model estimates that
for one design line, approximately 95
percent of the transformers sold would
have amorphous cores. The impacts on
manufacturers would be significant
because TSL4 would therefore likely
trigger partial conversion to amorphous
core technology (design line 4). The
manufacturer conversion costs would
contribute to as much as an 18 percent
reduction in the INPV under the
preservation-of-operating-profit
scenario. DOE estimates that $8.2
million of existing assets would be
stranded and approximately $17 million
in conversion capital expenditures
would be required to enable the
industry to manufacture compliant
transformers. Additionally, TSL4 would
be disruptive for manufacturers because
it does not achieve the consistent
treatment of single-phase and threephase transformers (see Appendix 8I).
E:\FR\FM\12OCR2.SGM
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This lack of consistency may cause large
market distortions (i.e., shifts between
single-phase and three-phase
transformers) and impact manufacturers
or plants that specialize in either singlephase or three-phase construction.
Moreover, DOE’s primary voltage
sensitivity analysis found that TSL4
cannot be achieved using even the most
efficient conventional silicon steels for
one of the four design lines studied (see
TSD Appendix 5D), and thus TSL4
could eliminate certain voltages from
the marketplace unless amorphous core
transformers were constructed. As
explained above, DOE has decided not
to set a standard that requires the use of
amorphous material, even if the
requirement would affect only a small
portion of the market.
The energy savings at TSL4 would
reduce the installed generating capacity
by 2.9 GW, or roughly 7 large, 400 MW
powerplants. The estimated emissions
reductions through this same time
period are 272 Mt of CO2. DOE
concludes that at this TSL, the benefits
of energy savings, generating capacity
reductions, emission reductions, and
national NPV would be outweighed by
the economic burden on customers as
indicated by the increased life-cycle
costs for certain design lines under the
2006 materials price sensitivity analysis
and large increases in installed
equipment cost for some transformers,
the stranded asset and conversion
capital costs that could result in a
significant reduction in INPV for
manufacturers, the inconsistent
treatment of single-phase and threephase transformers, and the partial
conversion to amorphous core material
for at least one design line.
Consequently, DOE concludes that TSL4
is not economically justified.
e. Liquid-Immersed Transformers—Trial
Standard Level 3
Next, DOE considered TSL3, which
would save an estimated total of 2.76
quads of energy through 2038, a
significant amount of energy. For the
Nation as a whole, TSL3 would result in
a net savings of $2.37 billion and $9.17
billion at seven percent and three
percent discount rates, respectively.
Under the five-year average materials
price scenario, lower life-cycle costs
would be experienced by between 31.9
and 68.2 percent of customers, while
between 2.0 to 18.9 percent of
customers would have increased lifecycle costs. Under the 2006 materials
price sensitivity analysis, increased lifecycle costs are experienced by between
11.1 and 48.3 percent of customers.
Under this five-year average materials
price scenario, the payback periods are
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between 2.4 and 11.4 years. Under the
2006 materials price sensitivity analysis,
the payback periods are between 9.8 and
17.8 years. The consumer equipment
cost before installation would increase
by 45.9 percent for one design line, a
significant increase for transformer
consumers. The LCC consumer choice
model estimates that for one design line,
approximately 95 percent of the
transformers sold would have
amorphous cores. The impacts on
manufacturers would be significant
because TSL3 would therefore likely
trigger partial conversion to amorphous
core technology; partial conversion is
disruptive in and of itself (but cannot be
quantified). The manufacturer
conversion costs would contribute to as
much as a 17 percent reduction in the
INPV under the preservation-ofoperating-profit scenario. DOE estimates
that $8.2 million of existing assets
would be stranded and approximately
$17 million in conversion capital
expenditures would be required to
enable the industry to manufacture
compliant transformers. Additionally,
TSL3 would be disruptive for
manufacturers because it does not
achieve the consistent treatment of
single-phase and three-phase
transformers (see Appendix 8I). This
lack of consistency may cause large
market distortions (i.e., shifts between
single-phase and three-phase
transformers) and impact manufacturers
or plants that specialize in either singlephase or three-phase construction.
Moreover, DOE’s primary voltage
sensitivity analysis found that TSL3
cannot be achieved using even the most
efficient conventional silicon steels for
one of the four design lines studied (see
TSD Appendix 5D), and thus TSL3
could eliminate certain voltages from
the marketplace unless amorphous core
transformers were constructed. As
explained above, DOE has decided not
to set a standard that requires the use of
amorphous material, even if the
requirement would affect only a small
portion of the market.
The energy savings at TSL3 would
reduce the installed generating capacity
by 2.7 GW, or roughly 7 large, 400 MW
powerplants. The estimated emissions
reductions through this same time
period are 248 Mt of CO2. DOE
concludes that at this TSL, the benefits
of energy savings, generating capacity
reductions, emission reductions, and
national NPV would be outweighed by
the economic burden on customers as
indicated by large increases in installed
equipment cost for some transformers,
the stranded asset and conversion
capital costs that could result in a
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significant reduction in INPV for
manufacturers, the inconsistent
treatment of single-phase and threephase transformers, and the partial
conversion to amorphous core material
for at least one design line.
Consequently, DOE concludes that TSL3
is not economically justified.
f. Liquid-Immersed Transformers—Trial
Standard Level B
Next, DOE considered TSLB, which
would save an estimated total of 2.75
quads of energy through 2038, a
significant amount of energy. For the
Nation as a whole, TSLB would result
in a net savings of $1.11 billion and
$7.26 billion at seven percent and three
percent discount rates, respectively.
Under the five-year average materials
price scenario, lower life-cycle costs
would be experienced by between 36.5
and 58.7 percent of customers, while 8.1
to 42.5 percent of customers would have
increased life-cycle costs. Under the
2006 materials price sensitivity analysis,
increased life-cycle costs are
experienced by between 17.7 and 53.8
percent of customers. Under the fiveyear average materials price scenario,
the payback periods are between 8.9 and
15.7 years, which at most is
approximately half the anticipated
operating life of the transformer. Under
the 2006 materials price sensitivity
analysis, the payback periods are
slightly longer, ranging from 10.2 to 20.8
years. The manufacturer conversion
costs would contribute to an 8 percent
reduction in the INPV under the
preservation-of-operating-profit
scenario. TSLB concerns DOE because
most (i.e., 87 percent ) of the
transformers manufactured for design
line 5 at this level would require the
most efficient conventional silicon core
steel, M2. The LCC consumer choice
model shows that no transformers in
design line 5 would be built with M3 (or
lower grade) core steel. DOE is
uncertain whether there would be
adequate supplies of M2 steel and
whether this steel would be available to
all manufacturers. These factors may
force manufacturers to more expensive
options, including amorphous core
material.
The energy savings at TSLB would
reduce the installed generating capacity
by 2.7 GW, or roughly 7 large, 400 MW
powerplants. The estimated emissions
reductions through this same time
period are 251 Mt of CO2. DOE
concludes that at this TSL, the benefits
of energy savings, generating capacity
reductions, emission reductions, and
national NPV would be outweighed by
the economic burden placed on
manufacturers as the vast majority
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would have to rely on the most efficient
conventional silicon core steel for one
design line. A clear cost disadvantage
would be imposed on those
manufacturers who could not secure
sufficient or consistent M2 core steel
supplies, potentially necessitating the
use of amorphous material.
Consequently, DOE concludes that
TSLB is not economically justified.
g. Liquid-Immersed Transformers—Trial
Standard Level C
Next, DOE considered TSLC, which
would save an estimated total of 2.61
quads of energy through 2038, a
significant amount of energy. For the
Nation as a whole, TSLC would result
in a net savings of $1.11 billion and
$6.95 billion at seven percent and three
percent discount rates, respectively.
Under the five-year average materials
price scenario, lower life-cycle costs
would be experienced by between 36.5
and 58.7 percent of customers,
depending on the design line. At this
level, 2.5 to 42.5 percent of customers
would have increased life-cycle costs,
depending on the design line. Under the
2006 materials price sensitivity analysis,
increased life-cycle costs will be
experienced by between 13.4 and 53.8
percent of customers. Under the fiveyear average materials price scenario,
the payback periods are between 4.3 and
15.7 years, which at most is
approximately half the anticipated
operating life of the transformer. Under
the 2006 materials price sensitivity
analysis, the payback periods range
between 8.7 and 20.8 years. The
conversion costs of manufacturers
would contribute to an 8 percent
reduction in the INPV under the
preservation-of-operating-profit
scenario. The quantified impact on
manufacturers is not prohibitive. In
comparison to TSLB, TSLC does not
raise the same material availability
concerns for design line 5. At TSLC, the
LCC consumer choice model shows that
63% of designs would be constructed
with M2 core steel, and 27% would be
constructed with M3. DOE is satisfied
that this provides reasonable diversity
of core steel construction options for
manufacturers. Additionally, the voltage
sensitivity analysis found that even the
highest BIL ratings do not eliminate the
use of M3 or M2 core steel for any of
the four liquid-immersed design lines
analyzed.
The energy savings at TSLC would
reduce the installed generating capacity
by 2.5 GW, or roughly 6 large, 400 MW
powerplants. The estimated emissions
reductions through this same time
period are 238 Mt of CO2. After
considering the benefits and burdens of
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TSLC, DOE finds that this trial standard
level will offer the maximum
improvement in efficiency that is
technologically feasible and
economically justified, and will result
in significant energy savings. Therefore,
DOE today is adopting TSLC as the
energy conservation standard for liquidimmersed distribution transformers.
2. Results for Medium-Voltage, DryType Distribution Transformers
a. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type
Transformers—Trial Standard Level 6
First, DOE considered the most
efficient level (max tech), which would
save an estimated total of 0.40 quads of
energy through 2038. For the Nation as
a whole, TSL6 would have a net cost of
$80 million at a seven percent discount
rate and a net benefit of $1.02 billion at
three percent discount rate. At this
level, the percentage of customers
experiencing lower life-cycle costs
would be less than 37.9 percent for the
majority of the units analyzed, with one
representative unit as low as 21.9
percent. More than three-quarters of
transformer customers making
purchases in that design line would
experience increases in life-cycle cost.
Customer payback periods at this
standard level for the majority of units
analyzed are 13.8 years or greater, with
one representative unit as high as 18.7
years. The consumer equipment cost
before installation would increase by as
much as 95.1 percent for one design
line, a significant increase for
customers. At TSL6, the impacts on
manufacturers would be significant,
with this level contributing to a 67
percent reduction in the INPV under the
preservation-of-operating-profit
scenario. DOE projects that
manufacturers would experience
negative net annual cash flows during
the time period between the final rule
and the effective date of the standard,
irrespective of the markup scenario. The
magnitude of the peak, negative, net
annual cash flow would be
approximately twice that of the positivebase-case cash flow. DOE is also
concerned that, at TSL6, the thin core
steels (i.e., M3, HO) selected by the LCC
(see TSD Appendix 8H) pose
operational difficulties for the type of
core-mitering equipment typically
purchased by small manufacturers.
Under the 2006 materials price
sensitivity analysis, the percentage of
transformer customers who would
experience higher life-cycle costs
increases relative to their life-cycle costs
under the average materials price
scenario. For the 2006 materials price
sensitivity, four of the five design lines
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have the majority of transformer
customers experiencing higher life-cycle
costs. Payback periods also increase
under the 2006 material price scenario,
to between 11.4 and 24.3 years, with
four of the five design lines having
average payback periods in excess of 20
years.
The energy savings at TSL6 would
reduce installed generating capacity by
0.6 GW, or roughly 1.5 large, 400 MW
powerplants. DOE estimates the
associated emissions reductions through
2038 of 36.9 Mt of CO2. DOE concludes
that at this TSL, the benefits of energy
savings, generating capacity reductions,
emission reductions, and national NPV
would be outweighed by the economic
burdens on customers as indicated by
long payback periods and significantly
greater first costs under both the average
materials price and 2006 materials price
sensitivity scenario, the economic
impacts on manufacturers who may
experience a drop in INPV of up to 67
percent, and the materials handling
issue for small manufacturers.
Consequently, DOE concludes that
TSL6, the max tech level, is not
economically justified.
b. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type
Transformers—Trial Standard Level 5
Since TSL5 is identical to TSL6 26
(i.e., for all the representative units,
TSL5 and TSL6 have the efficiency
values), DOE found that TSL5 was not
economically justified for the same
reasons as TSL6, as described above in
section VI.D.2.a.
c. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type
Transformers—Trial Standard Level 4
Next, DOE considered TSL4, which
would save a total of 0.27 quads of
energy through 2038. For the Nation as
a whole, TSL4 would have a net savings
of $0.45 billion and $1.55 billion at a
seven percent and three percent
discount rate, respectively. For both
discount rates, this TSL represents the
maximum NPV for medium-voltage,
dry-type distribution transformers. The
percentage of customers experiencing
lower life-cycle costs would range
between 52.6 and 74.4 percent,
depending on the design line. Payback
periods at this standard level range from
5.9 to 9.6 years. The consumer
equipment cost before installation
26 DOE’s criteria for establishing TSLs were
discussed in the NOPR. 71 FR 44378. TSL6
represents the maximum technologically feasible
standard level. TSL5 represents the standard level
that has maximum energy savings with
approximately no net increase in LCC. For mediumvoltage dry-type distribution transformers, the
efficiency point values selected under these two
criteria for TSL6 and TSL5 are the same, therefore
the results are the same.
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would increase by as much as 39.6
percent for one design line, a significant
increase for customers. Furthermore, the
impacts of TSL4 on manufacturers
would be significant, contributing to as
much as a 29 percent reduction in the
INPV under the preservation-ofoperating-profit scenario. Additionally,
DOE projects that manufacturers would
experience negative net annual cash
flows during the time period between
the final rule and the effective date of
the standard, irrespective of the markup
scenario. The magnitude of the peak,
negative, net annual cash flow would be
approximately half of the positive-basecase cash flow. Under the 2006
materials price sensitivity analysis, the
percentage of transformer customers
who would experience higher life-cycle
costs increases relative to their life-cycle
costs under the average materials price
scenario. For the 2006 materials price
sensitivity, three of the five design lines
have the majority of transformer
customers experiencing higher life-cycle
costs. Payback periods also increase
under the 2006 material price scenario,
to between 8.5 and 14.0 years.
The energy savings at TSL4 would
reduce the installed generating capacity
by 0.4 GW, or roughly one large, 400
MW powerplant. DOE estimates
associated emissions reductions through
2038 of 24.8 Mt of CO2. DOE concludes
that at this TSL, the benefits of energy
savings, generating capacity reductions,
positive national NPV, and emission
reductions would be outweighed by the
long payback periods and significantly
greater first costs for some transformer
customers, the economic impacts
associated with the 2006 materials price
sensitivity and the economic impacts on
manufacturers, including materials
handling for small manufacturers.
Consequently, DOE concludes that TSL4
is not economically justified.
d. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type
Transformers—Trial Standard Level 3
Next, DOE considered TSL3, which
would save an estimated 0.19 quads of
energy through 2038. For the Nation as
a whole, TSL3 would have a net savings
of $0.38 billion and $1.18 billion at a
seven percent and three percent
discount rate, respectively. The
percentage of transformer customers
who would experience lower life-cycle
costs ranges between 47.2 and 76.1
percent, depending on the design line,
with payback periods of 7.0 years or
less. The impacts on manufacturers at
TSL3 would be significant, contributing
to as much as a 25 percent reduction in
the INPV under the preservation-ofoperating-profit scenario. In addition,
DOE projects the net annual cash flows
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to be negative during the time period
between the final rule and the effective
date of the standard, irrespective of the
markup scenario. The magnitude of the
peak negative net annual cash flow
would be approximately one-third of the
positive-base-case cash flow. DOE is
also concerned that, at TSL3, the thin
core steels (i.e., M3, HO) selected by the
LCC (see TSD Appendix 8H) pose
operational difficulties for the type of
core-mitering equipment typically
purchased by small manufacturers.
Under the 2006 materials price
sensitivity analysis, the percentage of
transformer customers who would
experience higher life-cycle costs
increases relative to their life-cycle costs
under the average materials price
scenario. For the 2006 materials price
sensitivity, one design line has the
majority of transformer customers
experiencing higher life-cycle costs.
Payback periods also increase under the
2006 material price scenario, nearly
doubling with respect to payback
periods for the five-year average
material price.
The energy savings at TSL3 would
reduce the installed generating capacity
by 0.2 GW, or roughly 0.5 of a large, 400
MW powerplant. DOE estimates the
associated emissions reductions through
2038 of 17.1 Mt of CO2. DOE concludes
that at this TSL, the benefits of energy
savings, generating capacity reductions,
positive national NPV, LCC savings, and
emission reductions would be
outweighed by the economic impacts on
manufacturers, the materials handling
for small manufacturers and the
economic impacts associated with the
2006 materials price sensitivity.
Consequently, DOE concludes that TSL3
is not economically justified.
e. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type
Transformers—Trial Standard Level 2
Next, DOE considered TSL2, which
would save an estimated total of 0.13
quads of energy through 2038. For the
Nation as a whole, TSL2 would have a
net savings of $0.28 billion and $0.85
billion at a seven percent and three
percent discount rate, respectively. The
percentage of transformer customers
experiencing lower life-cycle costs
ranges between 37 and 67 percent,
depending on the design line, with
payback periods of six years or less.
DOE considers impacts on
manufacturers at this standard level (at
most a 15 percent reduction in the INPV
under the preservation-of-operatingprofit scenario) to be reasonable. At
TSL2, DOE is satisfied that there is a
sufficiently diverse variety of core steels
selected by the LCC (see TSD Appendix
8H), including M5 and M4, so that there
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will not be operational difficulties for
the type of core-mitering equipment
typically purchased by small
manufacturers.
The energy savings at TSL2 would
reduce the installed generating capacity
by 0.1 GW, or roughly one-quarter of a
large, 400 MW powerplant. DOE
estimates associated emissions
reductions through 2037 of 11.8 Mt of
CO2. DOE concludes that this TSL has
positive energy savings, generating
capacity reductions, emission
reductions, national NPV, benefits to
transformer customers, and reasonable
impacts on transformer manufacturers.
After considering the costs and benefits
of TSL2, DOE finds that this trial
standard level will offer the maximum
improvement in efficiency that is
technologically feasible and
economically justified, and will result
in significant conservation of energy.
Therefore, DOE today adopts the energy
conservation standards for mediumvoltage, dry-type distribution
transformers at TSL2.
VII. Procedural Issues and Regulatory
Review
A. Review Under Executive Order 12866
Today’s regulatory action is a
‘‘significant regulatory action’’ under
section 3(f)(1) of Executive Order 12866,
‘‘Regulatory Planning and Review.’’ 58
FR 51735 (October 4, 1993).
Accordingly, DOE has prepared and
submitted to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review the
assessment of costs and benefits
required under section 6(a)(3) of the
Executive Order. The Executive Order
requires agencies to identify the specific
market failure or other specific problem
that it intends to address that warrants
new agency action, as well as assess the
significance of that problem, to enable
assessment of whether any new
regulations is warranted. (Executive
Order 12866, § 1(b)(1)).
The specific problem that the energy
conservation standard addresses for
distribution transformers is that a
substantial portion of distribution
transformer purchasers are not
evaluating the cost of transformer losses
when they make distribution
transformer purchase decisions.
Therefore, distribution transformers are
being purchased that do not provide the
minimum life-cycle cost service to
equipment owners. DOE requested and
received data on, and suggestions for
evaluating the existence and extent of
the problem, which DOE used to
complete an assessment in the NOPR of
the significance of the problem and the
net benefits of regulation.
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For distribution transformers, the
Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) has voluntary
guidelines for the economic evaluation
of distribution transformer losses, IEEE
PC57.12.33/D8. These guidelines
document economic evaluation methods
for distribution transformers that are
common practice in the utility industry.
But while economic evaluation of
transformer losses is common, it is not
a universal practice. DOE collected
information during the course of the
conservation standards rulemaking to
estimate the extent to which
distribution transformer purchases are
evaluated. Data received from the
National Electrical Manufacturers
Association indicated that these
guidelines or similar criteria are applied
to approximately 75 percent of liquidimmersed transformer purchases, 50
percent of small capacity mediumvoltage dry-type transformer purchases,
and 80 percent of large capacity
medium-voltage dry-type transformer
purchases. Therefore, 25 percent, 50
percent, and 20 percent of distribution
transformer purchases do not have
economic evaluation of transformer
losses. The benefits from the energy
conservation standards result from
eliminating those distribution
transformers designs from the market
that are purchased on a purely
minimum first cost basis and which are
unlikely to be purchased by equipment
buyers when the economic value of
equipment losses are properly
evaluated. Detailed specifications of
DOE’s consumer purchase behavior
model, and the consumer impact
estimates are provided in Chapter 8 of
the TSD.
Of course, there are likely to be
certain ‘‘external’’ benefits resulting
from the improved efficiency of units
that are not captured by the users of
such equipment. These include both
environmental and energy securityrelated externalities that are not already
reflected in energy prices such as
reduced emissions of greenhouse gases
and reduced use of natural gas (and oil)
for electricity generation. DOE invited
comments on the weight that should be
given to these factors in DOE’s
determination of the maximum
efficiency level at which the total
benefits are likely to exceed the total
burdens resulting from a DOE standard.
Discussion of the comments regarding
these externalities is provided in
sections IV.D.2.e and IV.I.
DOE presented to OIRA for review the
draft final rule and other documents
prepared for this rulemaking, including
the RIA, and has included these
documents in the rulemaking record.
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They are available for public review in
the Resource Room of DOE’s Building
Technologies Program, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC, (202) 586–9127,
between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
The proposed rule contained a
summary of the RIA, which evaluated
the extent to which the major
alternatives to standards for distribution
transformers could achieve significant
energy savings at reasonable cost, as
compared to the effectiveness of the
proposed rule. 71 FR 44400–44401. The
complete RIA, formally entitled,
‘‘Regulatory Impact Analysis for
Proposed Energy Conservation
Standards for Electrical Distribution
Transformers,’’ is contained in the TSD
prepared for today’s rule. The RIA
consists of: (1) A statement of the
problem addressed by this regulation,
and the mandate for government action;
(2) a description and analysis of the
feasible policy alternatives to this
regulation; (3) a quantitative comparison
of the impacts of the alternatives; and
(4) the national economic impacts of the
proposed standards.
As explained in the NOPR, DOE
determined that none of the alternatives
it examined would save as much energy
or have an NPV as high as the proposed
standards. That same conclusion applies
to the standards in today’s rule. Also,
several of the alternatives would require
new enabling legislation, since authority
to carry out those alternatives does not
presently exist. Additional detail on the
regulatory alternatives is found in the
RIA report in the TSD.
B. Review Under the Regulatory
Flexibility Act/Final Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.) requires preparation
of an initial regulatory flexibility
analysis (IRFA) for any rule that by law
must be proposed for public comment,
and a final regulatory flexibility analysis
(FRFA) for any such rule that an agency
adopts as a final rule, unless the agency
certifies that the rule, if promulgated,
will not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small
entities. A regulatory flexibility analysis
examines the impact of the rule on
small entities and considers alternative
ways of reducing negative impacts.
Also, as required by Executive Order
13272, ‘‘Proper Consideration of Small
Entities in Agency Rulemaking,’’ 67 FR
53461 (August 16, 2002), DOE
published procedures and policies on
February 19, 2003, to ensure that the
potential impacts of its rules on small
entities are properly considered during
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the rulemaking process. 68 FR 7990.
DOE has made its procedures and
policies available on the Office of
General Counsel’s Web site: https://
www.gc.doe.gov.
Small businesses, as defined by the
Small Business Administration (SBA)
for the distribution transformer
manufacturing industry, are
manufacturing enterprises with 750
employees or fewer. Prior to issuing the
proposed rule in this rulemaking, DOE
interviewed six small businesses
affected by the rulemaking. DOE also
obtained information about small
business impacts while interviewing
manufacturers that exceed the small
business size threshold of 750
employees.
DOE reviewed the proposed rule
under the provisions of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act and the procedures and
policies published on February 19,
2003. 71 FR 44401. On the basis of this
review, DOE determined that it could
not certify that the proposed rule
(TSL2), if promulgated, would have no
significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities. Id.
DOE made this determination because
of the potential impacts that the
proposed standard levels for mediumvoltage, dry-type distribution
transformers would have on the small
businesses that manufacture them.
However, DOE noted that it had
explicitly considered the impacts on
small businesses that manufacture
medium-voltage, dry-type transformers
in proposing to adopt TSL2 rather than
a higher trial standard level. Id. In the
proposed rule, DOE also stated and
explained its belief that the proposed
standards would not have significant
economic impacts on a substantial
number of small manufacturers of
liquid-immersed transformers. 71 FR
44401–02.
Because of the potential impacts of
the proposed standards on small
manufacturers of medium-voltage, drytype transformers, DOE prepared an
IRFA during the NOPR stage of this
rulemaking. DOE provided the IRFA in
its entirety in the NOPR, 71 FR 44401–
03, and also transmitted a copy to the
Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the SBA
for review. In addition, DOE gave a
presentation concerning the key
portions of the IRFA to the Chief
Counsel for Advocacy of the SBA. DOE
did not receive any indication that the
IRFA was insufficient either in writing
or during the aforementioned
presentation to the SBA. Chapter 12 of
the TSD contains more information
about the impact of this rulemaking on
manufacturers.
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The IRFA divided potential impacts
on small businesses into two broad
categories: (1) Impacts associated with
transformer design and manufacturing;
and (2) impacts associated with
demonstrating compliance with the
standard using DOE’s test procedure.
DOE’s test procedure rule does not
require manufacturers to take any action
in the absence of final energy
conservation standards for distribution
transformers, and thus any impact of
that rule on small businesses would be
triggered by the promulgation of today’s
standards. Thus, the IRFA discussed the
potential impacts of the proposed
standards on small manufacturers of
medium-voltage, dry-type transformers,
and of the compliance demonstration
costs on all small manufacturers of
distribution transformers.
DOE has prepared a FRFA for this
rulemaking, and it is presented in the
following discussion. DOE has
transmitted a copy of this FRFA to the
Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the SBA
for review. The FRFA below is written
in accordance with the requirements of
the Regulatory Flexibility Act, and
addresses the stakeholder comments
received in response to the IRFA.
1. Need for and Objectives of the Rule
Today’s rule is needed to satisfy the
requirement in EPCA that DOE
prescribe energy conservation standards
for those distribution transformers for
which DOE determines that standards
would be technologically feasible and
economically justified, and would result
in significant energy savings. (42 U.S.C.
6317(a)) DOE had previously
determined that standards for
distribution transformers appear to be
technologically feasible and
economically justified, and are likely to
result in significant savings. 62 FR
54809 (October 22, 1997).
In accordance with EPCA, the
objective of today’s final rule is to set
energy conservation standards that
achieve the maximum improvement in
the energy efficiency of distribution
transformers that are technologically
feasible and economically justified. (See
42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(A), 6313(a), and 42
U.S.C. 6317(a) and (c)) After DOE
reviewed the comments received on the
proposed rule and conducted further
analyses, DOE determined that the
economic benefits of today’s standards
exceed the costs to the greatest extent
practicable, taking into consideration
the seven factors set forth in 42 U.S.C.
6295(o)(2)(B)(i) (see Section II.A of this
notice of final rulemaking). DOE
concluded, therefore, that today’s
standards are economically justified.
Further information concerning the
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background of this rulemaking is
provided in Chapter 1 of the TSD.
2. Description and Estimated Number of
Small Entities Regulated
By researching the distribution
transformer market, developing a
database of manufacturers, and
conducting interviews with
manufacturers (both large and small),
DOE was able to estimate the number of
small entities that would be regulated
under an energy conservation standard.
See chapter 12 of the TSD for further
discussion about the methodology used
in DOE’s manufacturer impact analysis
and its analysis of small business
impacts.
Liquid-immersed transformers
account for about $1.3 billion in annual
sales and employment of about 4,230
production employees in the United
States. DOE estimates that, of the
approximately 25 U.S. manufacturers
that make liquid-immersed distribution
transformers, about 15 of them are small
businesses. About five of the small
businesses have fewer than 100
employees.
Medium-voltage, dry-type
transformers account for about $84
million in annual sales and employment
of about 250–330 production employees
in the United States. The mediumvoltage, dry-type market is relatively
small compared to that of liquidimmersed transformers. The revenue
attributable to the medium-voltage, drytype transformers represents only about
six percent of the total revenue of the
industry affected by this rulemaking
(i.e., the sum of revenues from the
liquid-immersed and the mediumvoltage, dry-type transformers). DOE
estimates that, of the 25 U.S.
manufacturers that make mediumvoltage, dry-type distribution
transformers, about 20 of them are small
businesses. About ten of these small
businesses have fewer than 100
employees. Thus, in relative terms,
small businesses play a more dominant
role in the market for medium-voltage,
dry-type transformers than for liquidimmersed transformers.
3. Description and Estimate of
Compliance Requirements
Potential impacts on small businesses
come from two broad categories of
compliance requirements: (1) Impacts
associated with transformer design and
manufacturing, and (2) impacts
associated with demonstrating
compliance with the standard using the
DOE test procedure.
With respect to impacts associated
with transformer design and
manufacturing, the margins and/or
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market share of small businesses in the
medium-voltage, dry-type transformers
could be hurt in the long term by
today’s promulgated level, TSL2. At
TSL2, as opposed to TSL1, small
manufacturers would have less
flexibility in choosing a design path.
However, as explained in part 6 of the
IRFA, ‘‘Significant Alternatives to the
Rule,’’ DOE explicitly considered the
impacts on small manufacturers of
medium-voltage, dry-type transformers
in selecting TSL2, rather than selecting
a higher trial standard level. 71 FR
44403. DOE expects that the differential
impact on small manufacturers of
medium-voltage, dry-type transformers
(versus large businesses) would be
smaller in moving from TSL1 to TSL2
than it would be in moving from TSL2
to TSL3.
With respect to compliance
demonstration, DOE’s test procedure for
distribution transformers allows
manufacturers to use an Alternative
Efficiency Determination Method
(AEDM) which would ease the burden
on manufacturers. 10 CFR Part 431,
Subpart K, Appendix A; 71 FR 24972.
The AEDM involves a sampling
procedure to compare manufactured
products’ efficiencies with those
predicted by computer design software.
Where the manufacturer uses an AEDM
for a basic model, it would not be
required to test units of the basic model
to determine its efficiency for purposes
of establishing compliance with DOE
requirements. The professional skills
necessary to execute the AEDM include
the following: (1) Transformer design
software expertise (or access to such
expertise possessed by a third party);
and (2) electrical testing expertise and
moderate expertise with experimental
statistics (or access to such expertise
possessed by a third party). DOE’s test
procedure would require periodic
verification of the AEDM.
DOE’s test procedure also requires
manufacturers to calibrate equipment
used for testing the efficiency of
transformers. Calibration records will
need to be maintained as a result of
today’s standard.
The testing, reporting, and
recordkeeping requirements associated
with an energy conservation standard
and its related test procedure would be
identical, irrespective of the trial
standard level chosen. Therefore, for
both liquid-immersed and mediumvoltage, dry-type transformers, the
testing, reporting, and recordkeeping
requirements have not entered into
DOE’s choice of trial standard level for
today’s final rule.
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4. Significant Issues Raised by Public
Comments
NEMA submitted a comment that
supports DOE’s assessment that TSLs
higher than TSL2 would have serious
impacts on small manufacturers of
medium-voltage dry-type transformers
and would lead to further industry
consolidation. (NEMA, No. 156 at p. 1)
NEMA also commented that TSL2
would disproportionately affect small
manufacturers and greatly limit the
range of ratings that they could produce.
NEMA stated that small manufacturers
do not have the investment capital to
procure the equipment necessary to
produce the most efficient designs, and
that small manufacturers’ current
designs cannot meet TSL4 for many
ratings (it was unclear in this specific
comment whether NEMA was referring
to medium-voltage dry-type
transformers, liquid-immersed
transformers, or both types). (NEMA,
No. 125 at p. 2) NEMA also indicated
that material availability and quota
issues (for core steel, copper, and
aluminum) impact small manufacturers
more severely than large manufacturers,
since small manufacturers have less
leverage over suppliers and typically
have less diverse businesses. (NEMA,
No. 156 at pp. 2–3) HVOLT supported
NEMA’s view that small manufacturers
are affected more than large
manufacturers by material availability
issues. (HVOLT, Inc., No. 144 at p. 2)
HVOLT adds that the material
availability problems that would arise at
TSL2 or higher would drive small
manufacturers out of business. (HVOLT,
Inc., No. 155 at p. 3; Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 108.6 at p. 138)
The PEMCO Corporation, a small
manufacturer of medium-voltage drytype transformers, submitted a comment
that conflicts with NEMA and HVOLT
and supports the information that DOE
received during the manufacturer
interview process prior to the IRFA and
the NOPR. During the interviews, DOE
learned that small manufacturers of
medium-voltage dry-type transformers
can still choose to produce their own
cores at TSL2 (although some will
purchase cores) and can profitably
compete at TSL2. 71 FR 44403. In its
comment in response to the IRFA,
PEMCO stated that, with additional
capital expenditures and major changes
in manufacturing practices, it can meet
TSL2. PEMCO further stated that levels
above TSL2 would make it impossible
for PEMCO to compete. (PEMCO
Corporation, No. 130 at p. 1) The
PEMCO comment is consistent with
DOE’s understanding of the potential
impacts on small, medium-voltage dry-
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type manufacturers. DOE’s MIA suggests
that while TSL2 presents greater
difficulties for small businesses than
TSL1, the impacts at TSL3 would be
much greater. DOE expects that small
businesses will generally be able to
profitably compete at TSL2. DOE’s MIA
is based on its interviews of both small
and large manufacturers, and
consideration of small business impacts
explicitly enters into DOE’s choice of
TSL2 in promulgating minimum
efficiency standards for medium-voltage
dry-type transformers.
DOE also notes that today’s
promulgated standard of TSL2 can be
met with a variety of materials,
including multiple core steels and both
copper and aluminum windings.
Because TSL2 can be met with a variety
of materials, DOE does not expect that
material availability issues will
represent a substantial problem in the
long-term.
ACEEE submitted a comment stating
that small, medium-voltage dry-type
manufacturers would not be forced out
of business at higher standard levels
because they could either install the
necessary mitering equipment or
purchase finished cores. (ACEEE, No.
127 at p. 9) DOE recognizes both of
these possibilities. While DOE agrees
that standard levels higher than TSL2
would not necessarily cause all small
businesses to exit, there is a risk that a
significant number of small businesses
would exit the market at TSL3 or higher.
As reported in the IRFA, the thin steels
required at TSL3 and higher (M3 or
better) pose operational difficulties for
the type of core-mitering equipment
typically purchased by small
manufacturers. In addition, small
businesses would be at a relative
disadvantage at TSL3 and higher
because research and development
efforts would be on the same scale as
those for larger companies, but these
expenses would be recouped over much
smaller sales volumes. These research
and development efforts would be
required by all manufacturers (not just
small manufacturers) at TSL3 and
higher because these designs are
demanded only in very low volumes
today. 71 FR 44403.
As a separate matter, DOE also
received comments pertaining to small
manufacturers in the liquid-immersed
distribution transformer industry (the
IRFA did not pertain to liquid-immersed
transformers). In the NOPR, DOE
concluded that there will be no
significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small liquidimmersed manufacturers. DOE’s
conclusion in the proposed rule was
based on DOE’s understanding of the
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strategy followed by (and role played
by) small liquid-immersed transformer
manufacturers in the market. Since
liquid-immersed distribution
transformers are largely customized,
small businesses can compete because
many of these transformers are unique
designs produced in relatively small
quantities by a given customer’s order.
Small manufacturers of liquid-immersed
transformers tend not to compete on the
higher-volume products and often
produce transformers for highly specific
applications. This strategy allows small
manufacturers of liquid-immersed units
to be competitive in certain liquidimmersed product markets. In the
NOPR, DOE stated that implementation
of an energy conservation standard
would have a relatively minor
differential impact on small
manufacturers of liquid-immersed
distribution transformers. Disadvantages
to small businesses, such as having little
leverage over suppliers (e.g., core steel
suppliers), are present with or without
an energy conservation standard. Due to
the purchasing characteristics of their
customers, small manufacturers of
liquid-immersed transformers currently
produce transformers at TSL2, the
proposed level. Thus, DOE expected
that conversion costs (i.e., research and
development costs and capital
investments) and the associated
manufacturer impacts on small
businesses would be insignificant at the
proposed level, TSL2. 71 FR 44401–
44402. Below, DOE revisits this
expectation in light of the standards
promulgated today, which are higher
than TSL2.
Cooper Power Systems stated that
TSL1 would help U.S. manufacturers
while TSL2 would greatly limit the
range of designs that small
manufacturers of liquid-immersed
transformers could produce. Cooper also
stated that TSL4 would eliminate small
manufacturers. (Cooper Power Systems,
No. 154 at p. 2)
NEMA commented that DOE
underestimated the impacts on small
manufacturers of liquid-immersed
transformers because DOE failed to
consider materials availability issues
and the quotas typically placed on small
manufacturers. NEMA pointed to quotas
on both core steel and winding
materials and also the need to outsource
core production. (NEMA, No. 156 at pp.
1, 3) NEMA asserted that small
manufacturers lack the sophistication to
create the most efficient designs and
that high efficiency requirements would
lead to the outsourcing of core
production (especially distributed gap
wound cores). (NEMA, No. 156 at p. 3)
HVOLT submitted similar comments,
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adding that small manufacturers often
do not have the requisite relationships
with material suppliers to enable them
to purchase scarce or highly sought after
materials such as aluminum wire.
(HVOLT, No. 155 at pp. 1–2)
Another manufacturer, Howard
Industries notes that if size and weight
increases are reasonable then most of
the existing manufacturing equipment
should still be usable (if fundamental
technology changes are not required).
(Howard Industries, No. 143 at p. 4)
DOE infers that Howard’s reference to
‘‘fundamental technology changes’’
concerns a requirement for amorphous
core technology. The information
provided by Howard is relevant to
today’s promulgated standard because
TSLC will not require fundamental
technology changes and therefore
existing manufacturing facilities will
not have to undergo substantial
upgrades.
DOE appreciates the comments
pertaining to the potential impacts on
small liquid-immersed transformer
manufacturers. DOE believes that its
conclusion as stated in the IRFA is still
valid, despite promulgating a standard
today that is higher than the proposed
level of TSL2 for all liquid-immersed
design lines, except design line 4. The
comments received on the August 2006
NOPR that were suggestive of
prohibitive small business impacts that
fall into two categories—those
concerning materials availability and
pricing and those pertaining to the
outsourcing of distributed gap wound
cores. In regard to the first category—
materials availability and pricing—DOE
recognizes that there are materials
availability issues in the market today
and that they are more serious for small
businesses. DOE believes that such
disadvantages for small businesses exist
with or without an energy conservation
standard. DOE does not expect that the
standards promulgated today will
exacerbate the problem. The standard
promulgated today can be met through
a variety of design paths including the
use of more than one type of silicon core
steel; in addition, the possibility of
using multiple core steels may serve to
alleviate material availability concerns
in the long-term. With respect to the
need of small manufacturers of liquidimmersed transformers to outsource
distributed gap wound cores, evidence
has not been presented by small
businesses or their representatives to
support the claim that this practice will
be widespread. The equipment used in
the liquid-immersed transformer
industry to produce distributed gap
wound cores is relatively inexpensive,
and existing capacity is unlikely to
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become constrained because the
equipment’s processing time is
proportional to the mass of steel
processed (and does not increase
significantly as thinner core steels are
processed). In addition, unlike some
core steel processing equipment
presently used for stacked core
construction, distributed gap wound
core machines are readily able to handle
steel laminations as thin as M2 without
modification. See Section 12.4.1 of the
TSD for further discussion.
HVOLT believes that TSL4 would
hurt small manufacturers. To make this
point, HVOLT and ERMCO pointed out
at the public meeting that ERMCO
cannot generate three-phase liquidimmersed designs which meet TSL4.
HVOLT added that small businesses
would have even greater difficulty than
a sophisticated manufacturer such as
ERMCO. (Public Meeting Transcript,
No. 108.6 at p. 153 and pp. 163–164)
ERMCO later submitted a comment
which implied that TSL4 is a feasible
standard level for all design lines except
for design line 4. (ERMCO, No. 182 at
p. 1) Since today’s final rule requires
design line 4 to meet the lower level in
the proposed rule (TSL2), DOE believes
that HVOLT’s concern expressed at the
public meeting about the feasibility of
TSL4 and its implications for small
businesses have been addressed.
Today’s standard is below TSL4 for the
three-phase designs, and in particular,
regulates design line 4 to the proposed
level of TSL2.
5. Steps DOE Has Taken To Minimize
the Economic Impact on Small MediumVoltage Dry-Type Manufacturers
In consideration of the benefits and
burdens of standards, including the
burdens posed to small manufacturers,
DOE concluded TSL2 is the highest
level that can be justified for mediumvoltage, dry-type transformers. As
explained in part 6 of the IRFA,
‘‘Significant Alternatives to the Rule,’’
DOE explicitly considered the impacts
on small manufacturers of mediumvoltage, dry-type transformers in
selecting TSL2, rather than selecting a
higher trial standard level. It is DOE’s
belief that levels at TSL3 or higher
would place excessive burdens on small
manufacturers of medium-voltage, drytype transformers. Such burdens would
include large product redesign costs and
also operational problems associated
with the extremely thin laminations of
core steel that would be needed to meet
these levels. TSL2 essentially eliminates
butt-lap core designs and will therefore
put more burden on small
manufacturers than would TSL1.
However, the differential impact on
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small businesses (versus large
businesses) is expected to be lower in
moving from TSL1 to TSL2 than in
moving from TSL2 to TSL3. Today, the
market already demands significant
quantities of medium-voltage, dry-type
transformers that meet TSL2. 71 FR
44403.
Section VI.D above discusses how
small business impacts entered into
DOE’s selection of today’s standards for
medium-voltage, dry-type transformers.
DOE made its decision regarding
standards by beginning with the highest
level considered (TSL6) and
successively eliminating TSLs until it
finds a TSL that is both technologically
feasible and economically justified
(TSL2 in this case), taking into account
other EPCA criteria. Because DOE
believes that TSL2 is economically
justified (including consideration of
small business impacts), the reduced
impact on small businesses that would
have been realized in moving down to
TSL1 was not considered in DOE’s
decision (but the reduced impact on
small businesses that is realized in
moving down to TSL2 from TSL3 was
explicitly considered in the weighing of
benefits and burdens).
Finally, DOE notes that it received no
comments in reference to any undue
burden placed on small manufacturers
by the DOE test procedure and
associated compliance requirements. In
the IRFA, DOE requested feedback
concerning the need to abbreviate test
procedure requirements. 71 FR 44403.
DOE received no comments on this
issue from small businesses and is
therefore not considering abbreviated
test procedure requirements for small
businesses at this time. DOE notes that
the AEDM feature of the test procedure
reduces the testing burden significantly
for all manufacturers. Where
manufacturers use an AEDM for a basic
model, they would not be required to
test units of the basic model to
determine its efficiency for purposes of
establishing compliance with DOE
requirements. 71 FR 24990 and 24997–
24998.
C. Review Under the Paperwork
Reduction Act
Adoption of today’s final rule will
have the effect of requiring that
manufacturers follow DOE’s test
procedure for distribution transformers,
not just for purposes of making
representations, but also to determine
compliance even in the absence of any
representation. Thus, manufacturers
will become subject to the recordkeeping requirements contained in the
test procedure when today’s energy
conservation standards for distribution
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transformers take effect. 10 CFR Part
431, Subpart K, Appendix A; 71 FR
24972, 24998, 25007–08. As described
in the Notice and Request for Comments
published on April 27, 2006, these
record-keeping requirements concern
documentation of (1) the calibration of
equipment that manufacturers use in
performing testing and (2) the use by
manufacturers of methods other than
testing to determine the efficiency of
their distribution transformers. 71 FR
24844–24845. Because adoption of
today’s standard will have the effect of
imposing new information or recordkeeping requirements on liquidimmersed and medium-voltage dry-type
transformer manufacturers, DOE is
seeking OMB clearance for these test
procedure requirements under the
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.
3501 et seq.). 71 FR 24844. When
today’s standards become operative on
January 1, 2010, manufacturers of those
products also will be required to comply
with the record-keeping provisions in
today’s rule. Section 431.197(a)(4)(i)
requires manufacturers of distribution
transformers to have records as to
alternative efficiency determination
methods available for DOE inspection;
section 6.2 of Appendix A requires
maintenance of calibration records. As a
result, concurrent with or shortly after
publication of today’s rule, the
Department will publish a notice
seeking public comment under the
Paperwork Reduction Act, with respect
to manufacturers of liquid-immersed
and medium-voltage dry-type
distribution transformers, on the recordkeeping requirements in today’s rule.
After considering any public comments
received in response to that notice, DOE
will submit the proposed collection of
information to OMB for approval
pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3507.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number. The information
collection requirements in section
431.197(a)(4)(i) and section 6.2 of
Appendix A will not become effective
until OMB approves them. The
Department will publish a document in
the Federal Register advising liquidimmersed and medium-voltage dry-type
manufacturers of their effective date.
That document also will display the
OMB control number.
D. Review Under the National
Environmental Policy Act
DOE prepared an environmental
assessment of the impacts of today’s
standards (DOE/EA–1565), which is
available from: U.S. Department of
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Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, Forrestal building,
Mail Station EE–41, 1000 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585–
0121, (202) 586–0854. DOE found the
environmental effects associated with
various standard efficiency levels for
distribution transformers to be not
significant, and therefore it is
publishing, elsewhere in this issue of
the Federal Register, a Finding of No
Significant Impact pursuant to the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the
regulations of the Council on
Environmental Quality (40 CFR parts
1500–1508), and DOE’s regulations for
compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (10 CFR part
1021).
E. Review Under Executive Order 13132
DOE reviewed this rule pursuant to
Executive Order 13132, ‘‘Federalism,’’
64 FR 43255 (August 4, 1999), which
imposes certain requirements on
agencies formulating and implementing
policies or regulations that preempt
State law or that have federalism
implications. The Executive Order
requires agencies to examine the
constitutional and statutory authority
supporting any action that would limit
the policymaking discretion of the
States and to carefully assess the
necessity for such actions. The
Executive Order also requires agencies
to have an accountable process to
ensure meaningful and timely input by
State and local officials in the
development of regulatory policies that
have federalism implications. On March
14, 2000, DOE published a statement of
policy describing the intergovernmental
consultation process it will follow in the
development of such regulations. 65 FR
13735. The Department has examined
today’s final rule and has determined
that it would not have a substantial
direct effect on the States, on the
relationship between the national
government and the States, or on the
distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
levels of government. EPCA governs and
prescribes Federal preemption of State
regulations as to energy conservation for
the equipment that is the subject of
today’s final rule. States can petition the
Department for exemption from such
preemption to the extent, and based on
criteria, set forth in EPCA. (42 U.S.C.
6297) No further action is required by
Executive Order 13132.
F. Review Under Executive Order 12988
With respect to the review of existing
regulations and the promulgation of
new regulations, section 3(a) of
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58237
Executive Order 12988, ‘‘Civil Justice
Reform’’ 61 FR 4729 (February 7, 1996)
imposes on Federal agencies the general
duty to adhere to the following
requirements: (1) Eliminate drafting
errors and ambiguity; (2) write
regulations to minimize litigation; and
(3) provide a clear legal standard for
affected conduct rather than a general
standard and promote simplification
and burden reduction. Section 3(b) of
Executive Order 12988 specifically
requires that Executive agencies make
every reasonable effort to ensure that the
regulation: (1) Clearly specifies the
preemptive effect, if any; (2) clearly
specifies any effect on existing Federal
law or regulation; (3) provides a clear
legal standard for affected conduct
while promoting simplification and
burden reduction; (4) specifies the
retroactive effect, if any; (5) adequately
defines key terms; and (6) addresses
other important issues affecting clarity
and general draftsmanship under any
guidelines issued by the Attorney
General. Section 3(c) of Executive Order
12988 requires Executive agencies to
review regulations in light of applicable
standards in section 3(a) and section
3(b) to determine whether they are met
or it is unreasonable to meet one or
more of them. DOE has completed the
required review and determined that, to
the extent permitted by law, this final
rule meets the relevant standards of
Executive Order 12988.
G. Review Under the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995
DOE reviewed this regulatory action
under Title II of the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–4)
(UMRA), which requires each Federal
agency to assess the effects of Federal
regulatory actions on State, local and
Tribal governments and the private
sector. Today’s final rule may impose
expenditures of $100 million or more on
the private sector. It does not contain a
Federal intergovernmental mandate.
Section 202 of UMRA authorizes an
agency to respond to the content
requirements of UMRA in any other
statement or analysis that accompanies
the proposed rule. 2 U.S.C. 1532(c). The
content requirements of section 202(b)
of UMRA relevant to a private sector
mandate substantially overlap the
economic analysis requirements that
apply under section 325(o) of EPCA and
Executive Order 12866. The
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of
the notice of final rulemaking and the
‘‘Regulatory Impact Analysis’’ section of
the TSD for this final rule respond to
those requirements.
Under section 205 of UMRA, the
Department is obligated to identify and
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consider a reasonable number of
regulatory alternatives before
promulgating a rule for which a written
statement under section 202 is required.
DOE is required to select from those
alternatives the most cost-effective and
least burdensome alternative that
achieves the objectives of the rule
unless DOE publishes an explanation
for doing otherwise or the selection of
such an alternative is inconsistent with
law. As required by sections 325(o),
345(a) and 346(a) of EPCA (42 U.S.C.
6295(o), 6316(a) and 6317(a)), today’s
final rule establishes energy
conservation standards for distribution
transformers that are designed to
achieve the maximum improvement in
energy efficiency that DOE has
determined to be both technologically
feasible and economically justified. A
full discussion of the alternatives
considered by DOE is presented in the
‘‘Regulatory Impact Analysis’’ section of
the TSD for today’s final rule.
H. Review Under the Treasury and
General Government Appropriations
Act, 1999
DOE determined that, for this
rulemaking, it need not prepare a
Family Policymaking Assessment under
section 654 of the Treasury and General
Government Appropriations Act, 1999
(Pub. L. 105–277). 71 FR 44405. DOE
received no comments concerning
section 654 in response to the NOPR,
and, therefore, is taking no further
action in today’s final rule with respect
to this provision.
8452 (February 22, 2002), and DOE’s
guidelines were published at 67 FR
62446 (October 7, 2002). DOE has
reviewed today’s final rule under the
OMB and DOE guidelines and has
concluded that it is consistent with
applicable policies in those guidelines.
K. Review Under Executive Order 13211
Executive Order 13211, ‘‘Actions
Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution, or Use,’’ 66 FR 28355 (May
22, 2001) requires Federal agencies to
prepare and submit to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of
the OMB a Statement of Energy Effects
for any significant energy action. DOE
determined that the proposed rule was
not a ‘‘significant energy action’’ within
the meaning of Executive Order 13211.
71 FR 44405. Accordingly, it did not
prepare a Statement of Energy Effects on
the proposed rule. DOE received no
comments on this issue in response to
the NOPR. As with the proposed rule,
DOE has concluded that today’s final
rule is not a significant energy action
within the meaning of Executive Order
13211, and has not prepared a
Statement of Energy Effects on the rule.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
I. Review Under Executive Order 12630
DOE determined, under Executive
Order 12630, ‘‘Governmental Actions
and Interference with Constitutionally
Protected Property Rights,’’ 53 FR 8859
(March 18, 1988), that today’s rule
would not result in any takings which
might require compensation under the
Fifth Amendment to the United States
Constitution. 71 FR 44405. DOE
received no comments concerning
Executive Order 12630 in response to
the NOPR, and, therefore, is taking no
further action in today’s final rule with
respect to this Executive Order.
L. Review Under Section 32 of the
Federal Energy Administration Act of
1974
Section 32 of the Federal Energy
Administration Act (FEAA) of 1974
precludes DOE from adopting by rule
any commercial standard unless the
agency has consulted with the Attorney
General and the Chairman of the Federal
Trade Commission, and neither
recommends against such requirement.
(15 U.S.C. 788) DOE indicated in the
proposed rule, in a slightly different
context, that it was not proposing in this
rulemaking to require use of a
commercial standard, and it concluded
that section 32 of the FEAA did not
apply. DOE received no comments on
this issue. As with the proposed rule,
today’s rule neither incorporates nor
requires compliance with a voluntary
commercial standard. Therefore, section
32 of the FEAA does not apply to this
rule.
J. Review Under the Treasury and
General Government Appropriations
Act, 2001
Section 515 of the Treasury and
General Government Appropriations
Act, 2001 (44 U.S.C. 3516 note) provides
for agencies to review most
disseminations of information to the
public under guidelines established by
each agency pursuant to general
guidelines issued by OMB. OMB’s
guidelines were published at 67 FR
M. Review Under the Information
Quality Bulletin for Peer Review
On December 16, 2004, OMB, in
consultation with the Office of Science
and Technology (OSTP), issued its
‘‘Final Information Quality Bulletin for
Peer Review’’ (Bulletin). 70 FR 2664
(January 14, 2005). The Bulletin
establishes that certain scientific
information shall be peer reviewed by
qualified specialists before it is
disseminated by the federal government,
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including influential scientific
information related to agency regulatory
actions. The purpose of the Bulletin is
to enhance the quality and credibility of
the Government’s scientific information.
Under the Bulletin, the energy
conservation standards rulemakings
analyses are ‘‘influential scientific
information.’’ The Bulletin defines
‘‘influential scientific information’’ as
‘‘scientific information the agency
reasonably can determine will have, or
does have, a clear and substantial
impact on important public policies or
private sector decisions.’’ 70 FR 2667
(January 14, 2005).
In response to OMB’s Bulletin, DOE
conducted formal in-progress peer
reviews of the energy conservation
standards development process and
analyses and has prepared a Peer
Review Report pertaining to the energy
conservation standards rulemaking
analyses. The ‘‘Energy Conservation
Standards Rulemaking Peer Review
Report’’ dated February 2007 has been
disseminated and is available at the
following Web site: https://
www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/peer_review.html.
N. Congressional Notification
As required by 5 U.S.C. 801, DOE will
submit to Congress a report regarding
the issuance of today’s final rule prior
to the effective date set forth at the
outset of this notice. The report will
state that it has been determined that
the rule is a ‘‘major rule’’ as defined by
5 U.S.C. 804(2). DOE also will submit
the supporting analyses to the
Comptroller General in the U.S.
Government Accountability Office
(GAO) and make them available to each
House of Congress.
VIII. Approval of the Office of the
Secretary
The Secretary of Energy has approved
publication of today’s final rule.
List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 431
Administrative practice and
procedure, Confidential business
information, Energy conservation,
Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Issued in Washington, DC, on September
28, 2007.
Alexander A. Karsner,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy.
For the reasons set forth in the
preamble, Chapter II of Title 10, Code of
Federal Regulations, Subpart K of Part
431 is amended to read as set forth
below.
I
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12OCR2
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 197 / Friday, October 12, 2007 / Rules and Regulations
that has a nameplate which identifies
the transformer as being for this use
only.
Uninterruptible power supply
transformer means a transformer that is
used within an uninterruptible power
system, which in turn supplies power to
loads that are sensitive to power failure,
power sags, over voltage, switching
transients, line noise, and other power
quality factors.
I 3. Section 431.196 is amended by
revising the introductory text in
paragraph (a), revising paragraphs (b)
and (c), and by adding paragraph (d) to
read as follows:
PART 431—ENERGY EFFICIENCY
PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN
COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL
EQUIPMENT
1. The authority citation for part 431
continues to read as follows:
I
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6291–6317.
2. Section 431.192 is amended by
adding in alphabetical order the
definition of ‘‘underground mining
distribution transformer’’ and by
revising the definition of an
‘‘uninterruptible power supply
transformer.’’
I
§ 431.192
Definitions.
*
*
*
*
*
Underground mining distribution
transformer means a medium-voltage
dry-type distribution transformer that is
built only for installation in an
underground mine or inside equipment
for use in an underground mine, and
§ 431.196 Energy conservation standards
and their effective dates.
(a) Low-Voltage Dry-Type Distribution
Transformers. The efficiency of a lowvoltage dry-type distribution
transformer manufactured on or after
January 1, 2007, shall be no less than
58239
that required for their kVA rating in the
table below. Low-voltage dry-type
distribution transformers with kVA
ratings not appearing in the table shall
have their minimum efficiency level
determined by linear interpolation of
the kVA and efficiency values
immediately above and below that kVA
rating.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) Liquid-Immersed Distribution
Transformers. The efficiency of a liquidimmersed distribution transformer
manufactured on or after January 1,
2010, shall be no less than that required
for their kVA rating in the table below.
Liquid-immersed distribution
transformers with kVA ratings not
appearing in the table shall have their
minimum efficiency level determined
by linear interpolation of the kVA and
efficiency values immediately above
and below that kVA rating.
Single-phase
Three-phase
kVA
Efficiency
(%)
kVA
Efficiency
(%)
10 ......................................................................................
15 ......................................................................................
25 ......................................................................................
37.5 ...................................................................................
50 ......................................................................................
75 ......................................................................................
100 ....................................................................................
167 ....................................................................................
250 ....................................................................................
333 ....................................................................................
500 ....................................................................................
667 ....................................................................................
833 ....................................................................................
98.62
98.76
98.91
99.01
99.08
99.17
99.23
99.25
99.32
99.36
99.42
99.46
99.49
....................
15 .....................................................................................
30 .....................................................................................
45 .....................................................................................
75 .....................................................................................
112.5 ................................................................................
150 ...................................................................................
225 ...................................................................................
300 ...................................................................................
500 ...................................................................................
750 ...................................................................................
1000 .................................................................................
1500 .................................................................................
2000 .................................................................................
2500 .................................................................................
98.36
98.62
98.76
98.91
99.01
99.08
99.17
99.23
99.25
99.32
99.36
99.42
99.46
99.49
Note: All efficiency values are at 50 percent of nameplate-rated load, determined according to the DOE Test-Procedure. 10 CFR Part 431,
Subpart K, Appendix A.
(c) Medium-Voltage Dry-Type
Distribution Transformers. The
efficiency of a medium-voltage dry-type
distribution transformer manufactured
on or after January 1, 2010, shall be no
less than that required for their kVA and
BIL rating in the table below. Mediumvoltage dry-type distribution
transformers with kVA ratings not
appearing in the table shall have their
minimum efficiency level determined
by linear interpolation of the kVA and
efficiency values immediately above
and below that kVA rating.
TABLE I.2.—STANDARD LEVELS FOR MEDIUM-VOLTAGE, DRY-TYPE DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS, TABULAR FORM
Single-phase
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
BIL
kVA
15 ......................................
25 ......................................
37.5 ...................................
50 ......................................
75 ......................................
100 ....................................
167 ....................................
250 ....................................
333 ....................................
500 ....................................
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:08 Oct 11, 2007
20–45 kV
efficiency
(%)
98.10
98.33
98.49
98.60
98.73
98.82
98.96
99.07
99.14
99.22
Jkt 214001
Three-phase
46–95 kV
efficiency
(%)
≥96 kV
efficiency
(%)
97.86
98.12
98.30
98.42
98.57
98.67
98.83
98.95
99.03
99.12
PO 00000
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98.53
98.63
98.80
98.91
98.99
99.09
Fmt 4701
BIL
kVA
15 .....................................
30 .....................................
45 .....................................
75 .....................................
112.5 ................................
150 ...................................
225 ...................................
300 ...................................
500 ...................................
750 ...................................
Sfmt 4700
E:\FR\FM\12OCR2.SGM
20–45 kV
efficiency
(%)
97.50
97.90
98.10
98.33
98.49
98.60
98.73
98.82
98.96
99.07
12OCR2
46–95 kV
efficiency
(%)
97.18
97.63
97.86
98.12
98.30
98.42
98.57
98.67
98.83
98.95
≥96 kV
efficiency
(%)
98.53
98.63
98.80
98.91
58240
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 197 / Friday, October 12, 2007 / Rules and Regulations
TABLE I.2.—STANDARD LEVELS FOR MEDIUM-VOLTAGE, DRY-TYPE DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS, TABULAR FORM—
Continued
Single-phase
BIL
kVA
667 ....................................
833 ....................................
Three-phase
20–45 kV
efficiency
(%)
46–95 kV
efficiency
(%)
99.27
99.31
≥96 kV
efficiency
(%)
99.18
99.23
99.15
99.20
20–45 kV
efficiency
(%)
BIL
kVA
1000
1500
2000
2500
.................................
.................................
.................................
.................................
46–95 kV
efficiency
(%)
99.14
99.22
99.27
99.31
99.03
99.12
99.18
99.23
≥96 kV
efficiency
(%)
98.99
99.09
99.15
99.20
Note: BIL means basic impulse insulation level.
Note: All efficiency values are at 50 percent of nameplate rated load, determined according to the DOE TestProcedure. 10 CFR Part 431, Subpart K, Appendix A.
(d) Underground Mining Distribution
Transformers. [RESERVED]
*
*
*
*
*
Appendix
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
[The following letters from the Department of
Justice will not appear in the Code of Federal
Regulations.]
Department of Justice
Antitrust Division, Main Justice Building,
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20530–0001, (202) 514–
2401/(202) 616–2645 (Fax), E-mail:
antitrust@usdoj.gov, Web site: https://
www.usdoj.gov/atr.
January 16, 2007.
Warren Belmar, Esq.,
Deputy General Counsel for Energy Policy,
U.S. Department of Energy, Washington,
DC 20585.
Dear Deputy General Counsel Belmar: I am
responding to your November 14, 2006 letters
seeking the views of the Attorney General
about the potential impact on competition of
proposed energy efficiency standards relating
to (1) liquid-immersed and medium-voltage,
dry-type distribution transformers
(‘‘distribution transformers’’), and (2)
residential furnaces and boilers (‘‘furnaces
and boilers’’). The Energy Policy and
Conservation Act (‘‘EPCA’’) authorizes the
Department of Energy (‘‘DOE’’) to establish
energy conservation standards for a number
of appliances where DOE determines that
those standards would be technologically
feasible, economically justified, and result in
significant energy savings.
Your requests were submitted pursuant to
Section 325(o)(2)(B)(I) of the Energy Policy
and Conservation Act, 42 U.S.C. 6291. 6295
(‘‘EPCA’’), which states that, before the
Secretary of Energy may prescribe a new or
amended energy conservation standard, the
Secretary shall ask the Attorney General to
make a determination of ‘‘the impact of any
lessening of competition * * * that is likely
to result from the imposition of the
standard.’’ The Attorney General’s
responsibility for responding to requests from
other departments about the effect of a
program on competition has been delegated
to the Assistant Attorney General for the
Antitrust Division in 28 CFR 0.40(g). In
conducting its analysis the Antitrust Division
examines whether a standard may lessen
competition, for example, by placing certain
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17:08 Oct 11, 2007
Jkt 214001
manufacturers of a product at an unjustified
competitive disadvantage compared to other
manufacturers, or by inducing avoidable
inefficiencies in production or distribution of
particular products. In addition to harming
consumers directly through higher prices,
these effects could undercut the ultimate
goals of the legislation.
Your requests included the Notices of
Proposed Rulemaking (‘‘NOPR’’) that were
published in the Federal Register and
transcripts of public hearings relating to the
proposed standards. The NOPR relating to
distribution transformers proposed Trial
Standard Level 2 and explained why DOE
had decided not to propose higher trial
standard levels. The NOPR relating to
furnaces and boilers proposed the following
standards: 80% annual fuel utilization
efficiency (‘‘AFUE’’) for non-weatherized gas
furnaces and mobile home gas furnaces; 82%
AFUE for oil-fired furnaces; 83% AFUE for
weatherized gas furnaces and oil-fired
boilers; and 84% AFUE for gas boilers. Our
review regarding distribution transformers
and furnaces and boilers has focused upon
the standards DOE has proposed adopting;
we have not determined the impact on
competition of more stringent standards than
those set forth in the NOPRs.
In addition to the NOPRs and transcripts,
your staff provided us comments that had
been submitted to DOE regarding the
proposed standards. (We understand that the
docket has not closed with respect to
furnaces and that more comments may be
forthcoming.) We have reviewed these
materials and additionally conducted
interviews with members of the industries.
Based on this inquiry, the Division is
concerned that the distribution transformer
Trial Standard Level 2 may adversely affect
competition with respect to distribution
transformers used in industries, such as
underground coal mining, where physical
conditions limit the size of equipment that
can be effectively utilized. We understand
manufacturers would not be able to satisfy
the proposed standard without increasing the
size (or decreasing the power) of each class
of distribution transformer. Firms facing
space constraints would incur significantly
increased costs due to enlarging the required
installation space (which, for example, could
involve removal of solid rock around coal
seams in underground mines) or
reconfiguring the size and number of each
class of distribution transformers at each site.
PO 00000
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The resulting cost increases could constitute
production inefficiencies that could make
certain products less competitive. For
example, the rule could, by raising the costs
of certain coal mines, adversely affect
production decisions at those mines and
potentially result in increased use of less
efficient energy alternatives. We urge the
DOE to consider these concerns carefully in
its analysis, and to consider creating an
exception for distribution transformers used
in industries with space constraints.
The Division is also concerned that the
standards for weatherized gas furnaces and
gas boilers could adversely affect
competition. We understand that
manufacturers would have difficulty
designing products that safely meet the
proposed standards. For weatherized gas
furnaces, meeting the standard would like
result in increased condensation, potentially
resulting in significant deterioration that
would jeopardize the safety of the product,
and, for weatherized gas-fired water boilers,
meeting the standard would make effective
carbon dioxide venting more difficult. Any
resulting costs incurred to solve these issues
could adversely affect the competitiveness of
these products in relation to electric heat
pumps and water heaters. We urge the DOE
to carefully consider its proposed standards
in light of these concerns.
Aside from the discussion above, the
Division does not otherwise believe the
proposed standards would adversely impact
competition.
Yours sincerely,
J. Bruce McDonald,
Acting Assistant Attorney General.
Department of Justice
Antitrust Division, Main Justice Building,
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20530–0001, (202) 514–
2401 / (202) 616–2645 (Fax), E-mail:
antitrust@usdoj.gov, Web site: http:
//www.usdoj.gov/atr.
September 6, 2007.
Warren Belmar, Esq.,
Deputy General Counsel for Energy Policy,
U.S. Department of Energy, Washington,
DC 20585.
Dear Deputy General Counsel Belmar: I am
responding to your August 7, 2007 letter
seeking the views of the Attorney General
about the potential impact on competition of
the proposed final rule regarding energy
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sroberts on PROD1PC70 with RULES
conservation standards for liquid-immersed
and medium-voltage, dry-type distribution
transformers (‘‘distribution transformers’’).
The Energy Policy and Conservation Act
(‘‘EPCA’’) authorizes the Department of
Energy (‘‘DOE’’) to establish energy
conservation standards for a number of
appliances where DOE determines that those
standards would be technologically feasible,
economically justified, and result in
significant energy savings.
Your request was submitted pursuant to
Section 325(o)(2)(B)(I) of the Energy Policy
and Conservation Act, 42 U.S.C. 6291.6295
(‘‘EPCA’’), which states that before the
Secretary of Energy may prescribe a new or
amended energy conservation standard, the
Secretary shall ask the Attorney General to
make a determination of ‘‘the impact of any
lessening of competition * * * that is likely
to result from the imposition of the
standard.’’ The Attorney General’s
responsibility for responding to requests from
other departments about the effect of a
program on competition has been delegated
to the Assistant Attorney General for the
Antitrust Division in 28 CFR 0.40(g). In
conducting its analysis the Antitrust Division
examines whether a standard may lessen
competition, for example, by placing certain
manufacturers of a product at an unjustified
competitive disadvantage compared to other
manufacturers, or by inducing avoidable
inefficiencies in production or distribution of
particular products. In addition to harming
consumers directly through higher prices,
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:08 Oct 11, 2007
Jkt 214001
these effects could undercut the ultimate
goals of the legislation.
Along with your request, you sent us the
draft final rule and a number of other
documents relating to distribution
transformers, including the comments that
had been submitted to DOE in response to
the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(‘‘NOPR’’), the Notice of Data Availability
(‘‘NODA’’) issued by DOE earlier this year
that discussed standards DOE was
considering, and comments DOE received
regarding the NODA.
In November of 2006, you requested DOJ’s
views regarding the NOPR, which proposed
Trial Standard Level 2. By letter dated
January 16, 2007, we responded that, based
on our inquiry, we were concerned that the
distribution transformer standard might
adversely affect competition with respect to
distribution transformers used in industries,
such as underground coal mining, where
physical conditions limit the size of
equipment that can be effectively utilized.
We urged DOE to consider creating an
exception for distribution transformers used
in industries with space constraints.
You have addressed our concern by
establishing a separate product class for
underground mining transformers and
excluding that class from the proposed final
rule. Although our January 16, 2007 letter did
not limit our concern to underground mining
transformers, we believe DOE’s decision to
exclude underground mining transformers
from the proposed final rule adequately
addresses our concern.
PO 00000
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58241
Our review of the NOPR was limited to the
impact of Trial Standard Level 2 on
competition. The proposed final rule would
establish a more stringent standard than Trial
Standard Level 2 for certain distribution
transformers. Specifically, it establishes Trial
Standard Level 3 as the standard for certain
three phase liquid-immersed distribution
transformers, with a commensurate standard
for certain single phase liquid-immersed
distribution transformers. To ascertain
whether the more stringent standard would
adversely impact competition, we have
evaluated the comments DOE received in
response to the NODA, which had stated
DOE was contemplating Trial Standard Level
2 or 3 for three phase liquid-immersed
distribution transformers. We have also
conducted industry interviews. Based on this
review, we have concluded that the proposed
final rule’s application of Trial Standard
Level 3 to certain three phase liquid-filled
distribution transformers and the comparable
standard to certain single phase liquid-filled
distribution transformers would not
adversely affect competition.
In conclusion, the Antitrust Division does
not believe the proposed final rule would
adversely affect competition.
Yours sincerely,
Deborah A. Garza,
Acting Assistant Attorney General.
[FR Doc. E7–19582 Filed 10–11–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 197 (Friday, October 12, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 58190-58241]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-19582]
[[Page 58189]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Part III
Department of Energy
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CFR Part 431
Energy Conservation Program for Commercial Equipment: Distribution
Transformers Energy Conservation Standards; Final Rule
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 197 / Friday, October 12, 2007 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 58190]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 431
[Docket Number: EE-RM/STD-00-550]
RIN 1904-AB08
Energy Conservation Program for Commercial Equipment:
Distribution Transformers Energy Conservation Standards; Final Rule
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) has determined that energy
conservation standards for liquid-immersed and medium-voltage, dry-type
distribution transformers will result in significant conservation of
energy, are technologically feasible, and are economically justified.
On this basis, DOE is today adopting energy conservation standards for
liquid-immersed and medium-voltage, dry-type distribution transformers.
Today's rule does not set energy conservation standards for underground
mining distribution transformers.
DATES: Effective Date: The effective date of this rule is November 13,
2007. Standards for liquid-immersed and medium-voltage, dry-type
distribution transformers will be applicable starting January 1, 2010.
ADDRESSES: For access to the docket to read background documents, the
technical support document (TSD), transcripts of the public meetings in
this proceeding, or comments received, visit the U.S. Department of
Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 1J-018 (Resource Room of the Building
Technologies Program), 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC,
(202) 586-2945, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays. Please call Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones at the
above telephone number for additional information regarding visiting
the Resource Room. Please note: DOE's Freedom of Information Reading
Room (formerly Room 1E-190 at the Forrestal Building) no longer houses
rulemaking materials. You may also obtain copies of certain previous
rulemaking documents from this proceeding (i.e., Framework Document,
advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANOPR), notice of proposed
rulemaking (NOPR or proposed rule)), draft analyses, public meeting
materials, and related test procedure documents from the Office of
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Web site at https://
www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/commercial/
distribution_transformers.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Antonio Bouza, Project Manager, Energy
Conservation Standards for Distribution Transformers, Docket No. EE-RM/
STD-00-550, U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy, Building Technologies Program, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-4563, e-mail:
Antonio.Bouza@ee.doe.gov.
Francine Pinto, Esq., U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General
Counsel, GC-72, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-
0121, (202) 586-7432, e-mail: Francine.Pinto@hq.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Summary of the Final Rule and Its Benefits
A. The Standard Levels
B. Distribution Transformer Characteristics
C. Benefits to Transformer Customers
D. Impact on Manufacturers
E. National Benefits
F. Conclusion
II. Introduction
A. Authority
B. Background
1. Current Standards
2. History of Standards Rulemaking for Distribution Transformers
III. General Discussion
A. Test Procedures
B. Technological Feasibility
1. General
2. Maximum Technologically Feasible Levels
C. Energy Savings
D. Economic Justification
1. Economic Impact on Commercial Consumers and Manufacturers
2. Life-Cycle Costs
3. Energy Savings
4. Lessening of Utility or Performance of Equipment
5. Impact of Any Lessening of Competition
6. Need of the Nation To Conserve Energy
7. Other Factors
IV. Methodology and Discussion of Comments on Methodology
A. Market and Technology Assessment
1. General
2. Mining Transformers
a. Comments Requesting Exemption
b. Mining Transformer Test Procedure Comments
3. Less-Flammable, Liquid-Immersed Transformers
4. Rebuilt or Refurbished Distribution Transformers
5. Uninterruptible Power System Transformers
B. Engineering Analysis
C. Life-Cycle Cost and Payback Period Analysis
1. Inputs Affecting Installed Cost
a. Installation Costs
b. Baseline and Standard Design Selection
2. Inputs Affecting Operating Costs
a. Transformer Loading
b. Load Growth
c. Electricity Costs
d. Electricity Price Trends
e. Natural Gas Price Impacts
3. Inputs Affecting Present Value of Annual Operating Cost
Savings
a. Standards Implementation Date
b. Discount Rate
c. Temperature Rise, Reliability, and Lifetime
D. National Impact Analysis--National Energy Savings and Net
Present Value Analysis
1. Discount Rate
a. Selection and Estimation Method
b. Discounting Energy and Emissions
E. Commercial Consumer Subgroup Analysis
F. Manufacturer Impact Analysis
G. Employment Impact Analysis
H. Utility Impact Analysis
I. Environmental Analysis
V. Discussion of Other Comments
A. Information and Assumptions Used in Analyses
1. Engineering Analysis
a. Primary Voltage Sensitivities
b. Increased Raw Material Prices
c. Amorphous Material Price
d. Material Availability
2. Shipments/National Energy Savings
3. Manufacturer Impact Analysis
B. Weighing of Factors
1. Economic Impacts
a. Economic Impacts on Consumers
b. Economic Impacts on Manufacturers
2. Life-Cycle Costs
3. Energy Savings
4. Lessening of Utility or Performance of Products
a. Transformers Installed in Vaults
5. Impact of Lessening of Competition
6. Need of the Nation To Conserve Energy
7. Other Factors
a. Availability of High Primary Voltages
b. Materials Price Sensitivity Analysis
c. Materials Availability Analysis
d. Consistency Between Single-Phase and Three-Phase Designs
C. Other Comments
1. Development of Trial Standard Levels for the Final Rule
2. Linear Interpolation of Non-Standard Capacity Ratings
VI. Analytical Results and Conclusions
A. Trial Standard Levels
B. Significance of Energy Savings
C. Economic Justification
1. Economic Impact on Commercial Consumers
a. Life-Cycle Costs and Payback Period
b. Commercial Consumer Subgroup Analysis
2. Economic Impact on Manufacturers
a. Industry Cash-Flow Analysis Results
b. Impacts on Employment
c. Impacts on Manufacturing Capacity
d. Impacts on Manufacturers That Are Small Businesses
3. National Net Present Value and Net National Employment
4. Impact on Utility or Performance of Equipment
5. Impact of Any Lessening of Competition
6. Need of the Nation To Conserve Energy
7. Other Factors
D. Conclusion
1. Results for Liquid-Immersed Distribution Transformers
[[Page 58191]]
a. Liquid-Immersed Transformers--Trial Standard Level 6
b. Liquid-Immersed Transformers--Trial Standard Level 5
c. Liquid-Immersed Transformers--Trial Standard Level A
d. Liquid-Immersed Transformers--Trial Standard Level 4
e. Liquid-Immersed Transformers--Trial Standard Level 3
f. Liquid-Immersed Transformers--Trial Standard Level B
g. Liquid-Immersed Transformers--Trial Standard Level C
2. Results for Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type Distribution
Transformers
a. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type Transformers--Trial Standard Level 6
b. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type Transformers--Trial Standard Level 5
c. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type Transformers--Trial Standard Level 4
d. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type Transformers--Trial Standard Level 3
e. Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type Transformers--Trial Standard Level 2
VII. Procedural Issues and Regulatory Review
A. Review Under Executive Order 12866
B. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act/Final Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis
C. Review Under the Paperwork Reduction Act
D. Review Under the National Environmental Policy Act
E. Review Under Executive Order 13132
F. Review Under Executive Order 12988
G. Review Under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
H. Review Under the Treasury and General Government
Appropriations Act, 1999
I. Review Under Executive Order 12630
J. Review Under the Treasury and General Government
Appropriations Act, 2001
K. Review Under Executive Order 13211
L. Review Under Section 32 of the Federal Energy Administration
Act of 1974
M. Review Under the Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review
N. Congressional Notification
VIII. Approval of the Office of the Secretary
I. Summary of the Final Rule and Its Benefits
A. The Standard Levels
The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended, directs
the Department of Energy (DOE) to adopt energy conservation standards
for those distribution transformers for which standards would be
technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result
in significant energy savings. (42 U.S.C. 6317(a)(2)) The standards in
today's final rule, which apply to liquid-immersed and medium-voltage,
dry-type distribution transformers, satisfy these requirements and will
achieve the maximum improvements in energy efficiency that are
technologically feasible and economically justified. In the advance
notice of proposed rulemaking (ANOPR) in this proceeding, DOE had also
addressed standards for low-voltage, dry-type distribution
transformers. 69 FR 45376 (July 29, 2004). However, the Energy Policy
Act of 2005, Public Law 109-58, (EPACT 2005) amended EPCA to establish
energy conservation standards for those transformers. (EPACT 2005,
Section 135(c); 42 U.S.C. 6295(y)) Therefore, DOE removed low-voltage,
dry-type distribution transformers from the scope of this rulemaking.
The standards established in this final rule are minimum efficiency
levels. Tables I.1 and I.2 show the standard levels DOE is adopting
today. These standards will apply to liquid-immersed and medium-
voltage, dry-type distribution transformers manufactured for sale in
the United States, or imported to the United States, on or after
January 1, 2010. As discussed in section V.C.2 of this notice, any
transformers whose kVA\1\ rating falls between the kVA ratings shown in
tables I.1 and I.2 shall have its minimum efficiency requirement
calculated by a linear interpolation of the minimum efficiency
requirements of the kVA ratings immediately above and below that
rating.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ kVA is an abbreviation for kilovolt-ampere, which is a
capacity metric used by industry to classify transformers. A
transformer's kVA rating represents its output power when it is
fully loaded (i.e., 100%).
Table I.1.--Standard Levels for Liquid-Immersed Distribution
Transformers, Tabular Form
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single-phase Three-phase
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Efficiency Efficiency
kVA (%) kVA (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.......................... 98.62 15............. 98.36
15.......................... 98.76 30............. 98.62
25.......................... 98.91 45............. 98.76
37.5........................ 99.01 75............. 98.91
50.......................... 99.08 112.5.......... 99.01
75.......................... 99.17 150............ 99.08
100......................... 99.23 225............ 99.17
167......................... 99.25 300............ 99.23
250......................... 99.32 500............ 99.25
333......................... 99.36 750............ 99.32
500......................... 99.42 1000........... 99.36
667......................... 99.46 1500........... 99.42
833......................... 99.49 2000........... 99.46
............ 2500........... 99.49
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: All efficiency values are at 50 percent of nameplate-rated load,
determined according to the DOE test procedure. 10 CFR Part 431,
Subpart K, Appendix A.
Table I.2.--Standard Levels for Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type Distribution Transformers, Tabular Form
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single-phase Three-phase
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20-45 kV 46-95 kV >=96 kV 20-45 kV 46-95 kV >=96 kV
BIL kVA efficiency efficiency efficiency BIL kVA efficiency efficiency efficiency
(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15........................................ 98.10 97.86 ............ 15........................... 97.50 97.18 ...........
25........................................ 98.33 98.12 ............ 30........................... 97.90 97.63 ...........
[[Page 58192]]
37.5...................................... 98.49 98.30 ............ 45........................... 98.10 97.86 ...........
50........................................ 98.60 98.42 ............ 75........................... 98.33 98.12 ...........
75........................................ 98.73 98.57 98.53 112.5........................ 98.49 98.30 ...........
100....................................... 98.82 98.67 98.63 150.......................... 98.60 98.42 ...........
167....................................... 98.96 98.83 98.80 225.......................... 98.73 98.57 98.53
250....................................... 99.07 98.95 98.91 300.......................... 98.82 98.67 98.63
333....................................... 99.14 99.03 98.99 500.......................... 98.96 98.83 98.80
500....................................... 99.22 99.12 99.09 750.......................... 99.07 98.95 98.91
667....................................... 99.27 99.18 99.15 1000......................... 99.14 99.03 98.99
833....................................... 99.31 99.23 99.20 1500......................... 99.22 99.12 99.09
........... ........... ............ 2000......................... 99.27 99.18 99.15
........... ........... ............ 2500......................... 99.31 99.23 99.20
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: BIL means basic impulse insulation level.
Note: All efficiency values are at 50 percent of nameplate-rated load, determined according to the DOE test procedure. 10 CFR Part 431, Subpart K,
Appendix A.
B. Distribution Transformer Characteristics
The minimum efficiency levels in today's standards can be met by
distribution transformer designs that already are available in the
market. DOE expects that distribution transformer designs that
incorporate different voltages and other design variations will still
be able to be manufactured under the new standards, maintaining all the
features and utility found in commercially available products today.
In analyzing the benefits and burdens of potential standards, DOE
represented the range of possible distribution transformer costs and
features by representative engineering design lines. Five design lines
(DL1, DL2, DL3, DL4, and DL5) represent the range of features and costs
for liquid-immersed transformers, while five design lines (DL9, DL10,
DL11, DL12, and DL13) represent medium-voltage, dry-type transformers.
Three design lines (DL6, DL7, and DL8) represented low-voltage dry-type
transformers and were included in DOE's ANOPR analysis. But as
indicated above, DOE subsequently removed these transformers from this
rulemaking when the Energy Policy Act of 2005 established minimum
efficiency levels for them.
On average, liquid-immersed transformers are already relatively
efficient. The annual operating costs for such transformers range from
approximately \1/10\ to \1/30\ of the installed cost. Medium-voltage,
dry-type transformers tend to have higher losses, and are subject to
higher electricity costs. Their annual operating costs tend to be
approximately \1/10\ of the installed cost.
C. Benefits to Transformer Consumers
The economic impacts on transformer consumers (i.e., the average
life-cycle cost (LCC) savings) are positive for the new energy
efficiency levels established by this rule. For liquid-immersed
transformers, an increase in first costs of 6-12 percent is accompanied
by a decrease in operating costs of 15-23 percent, corresponding to a
similar drop in electrical losses. For medium-voltage, dry-type
transformers, an increase in first costs of 3-13 percent is accompanied
by a decrease in losses and operating costs of 9-26 percent. On
average, the new standards provides net life-cycle benefits for all
categories of distribution transformers, although some liquid-immersed
transformers with smaller loads and relatively low electricity cost are
likely to incur a net cost from the new standards. For liquid-immersed
transformers, DOE estimates that approximately 25% of the market incurs
a net life-cycle cost from the standard while 75% of the market is
either not affected or incurs a net benefit. DOE also investigated how
these standards might affect municipal utilities and rural electric
cooperatives. While the benefits are positive for municipal utilities,
a majority of smaller, pole-mounted transformers for rural electric
cooperatives will incur a net life-cycle cost. However, because of a
relatively large per-transformer reduction in life-cycle cost for some
non-evaluating rural electric cooperatives (i.e., those that do not
take into consideration the cost of transformer losses when choosing a
transformer) rural electric cooperatives as a whole receive an average
life-cycle cost benefit.
D. Impact on Manufacturers
Using a real corporate discount rate of 8.9 percent, DOE estimated
the industry net present values (INPV) of the liquid-immersed and
medium-voltage, dry-type distribution transformer industries to be $609
million and $36 million, respectively, in 2006$. DOE expects the impact
of today's standards on the INPV of the liquid-immersed transformer
industry to be between an eight percent loss and an eight percent
increase (-$47 million to $47 million). DOE expects the impact of
today's standards on the INPV of the medium-voltage, dry-type
transformer industry to be between a 15 percent loss and a 9 percent
loss (-$5.2 million to -$3.2 million). Based on DOE's analysis and
interviews with distribution transformer manufacturers, DOE expects
minimal plant closings or loss of employment as a result of the
standards promulgated today.
E. National Benefits
The standards will provide significant benefits to the Nation. DOE
estimates the standards will save approximately 2.74 quads (quadrillion
(10\15\) British thermal units (BTU)) of energy over 29 years (2010-
2038). This is equivalent to all the energy consumed by 27 million
American households in a single year.
By 2038, DOE expects the energy savings from the standards to
eliminate the need for approximately six new 400-megawatt combined-
cycle gas turbine power plants. The total energy savings from the
standard will result in cumulative greenhouse gas emission reductions
of approximately 238 million tons (Mt) of carbon dioxide
(CO2) from a variety of generation sources. This is an
amount equal to what would be
[[Page 58193]]
saved by removing 80 percent of all light vehicles from U.S. roads for
one year.
The national net present value (NPV) of the standards is $1.39
billion using a seven percent discount rate and $7.8 billion using a
three percent discount rate, cumulative from 2010 to 2073 in 2006$.
This is the estimated total value of future energy savings minus the
estimated increased equipment costs, discounted to the year 2007. The
benefits and costs of the standard can also be expressed in terms of
annualized 2006$ values over the forecast period 2010 through 2038.
Using a seven percent discount rate for the annualized cost
analysis, the cost of the standard is $463 million per year in
increased equipment and installation costs while the annualized
benefits are $602 million per year in reduced equipment operating
costs. Using a three percent discount rate, the cost of the standard is
$460 million per year while the benefits of today's standard are $904
million per year.
F. Conclusion
DOE concludes that the benefits (energy savings, transformer
consumer LCC savings, national NPV increases, and emissions reductions)
to the Nation of the standards outweigh their costs (loss of
manufacturer INPV and transformer consumer LCC increases for some users
of distribution transformers). DOE concludes that today's standards for
liquid-immersed and medium-voltage, dry-type transformers are
technologically feasible and economically justified, and will result in
significant energy savings. At present, both liquid-immersed and
medium-voltage, dry-type transformers that meet the new standard levels
are commercially available.
II. Introduction
A. Authority
Title III of EPCA sets forth a variety of provisions designed to
improve energy efficiency. Part B of Title III (42 U.S.C. 6291-6309)
provides for the Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products
other than Automobiles. Part C of Title III (42 U.S.C. 6311-6317)
establishes a similar program for ``Certain Industrial Equipment,'' and
includes distribution transformers, the subject of this rulemaking. DOE
publishes today's final rule pursuant to Part C of Title III, which
provides for test procedures, labeling, and energy conservation
standards for distribution transformers and certain other products, and
authorizes DOE to require information and reports from manufacturers.
The distribution transformer test procedure appears in Title 10 Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 431, Subpart K, Appendix A.
EPCA contains criteria for prescribing new or amended energy
conservation standards. DOE must prescribe standards only for those
distribution transformers for which DOE: (1) Has determined that
standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified
and would result in significant energy savings; and (2) has prescribed
test procedures. (42 U.S.C. 6317(a)(2)) Moreover, DOE analyzed whether
today's standards for distribution transformers will achieve the
maximum improvement in energy efficiency that is technologically
feasible and economically justified. (See 42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(A),
6316(a), and 6317(a) and (c)) \2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ DOE notes that 42 U.S.C. 6317(c) requires that DOE ``take
into consideration'' the criteria contained in section 325(n).''
However, Section 325(n), ``Petition For An Amended Standard,'' does
not contain the criteria for establishing new or amended standards,
rather as its title states, it contains the criteria DOE must apply
for determining whether to grant petitions for amending standards,
filed by any person with the Secretary of Energy. Section 325(o)
entitled, ``Criteria for Prescribing New or Amended Standards''
contains the appropriate criteria that 42 U.S.C. 6317(c) apparently
intends to reference. The reference in section 42 U.S.C. 6317(c) to
section 325(n) is an inadvertent error and DOE will apply the
criteria in section 325(o) instead.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition, DOE decided whether each of today's standards for
distribution transformers is economically justified, after receiving
comments on the proposed standards, by determining whether the benefits
of each standard exceed its burdens by considering, to the greatest
extent practicable, the following seven factors that are set forth in
42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(i):
(1) The economic impact of the standard on manufacturers and
consumers of the products subject to the standard;
(2) The savings in operating costs throughout the estimated average
life of products in the type (or class) compared to any increase in the
price, initial charges, or maintenance expenses for the covered
products that are likely to result from the imposition of the standard;
(3) The total projected amount of energy savings likely to result
directly from the imposition of the standard;
(4) Any lessening of the utility or the performance of the products
likely to result from the imposition of the standard;
(5) The impact of any lessening of competition, as determined in
writing by the Attorney General, that is likely to result from the
imposition of the standard;
(6) The need for national energy conservation; and
(7) Other factors the Secretary considers relevant.
In developing today's energy conservation standards, DOE also has
applied certain other provisions of 42 U.S.C. 6295. First, DOE would
not prescribe a standard for distribution transformers if interested
persons established by a preponderance of the evidence that the
standard is likely to result in the unavailability in the United States
of any type (or class) of this equipment with performance
characteristics (including reliability), features, sizes, capacities,
and volumes that are substantially the same as those generally
available at the time of the Secretary's finding. (See 42 U.S.C.
6295(o)(4))
Second, DOE has applied 42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(iii), which
establishes a rebuttable presumption that a standard is economically
justified if the Secretary finds that ``the additional cost to the
consumer of purchasing a product complying with an energy conservation
standard level will be less than three times the value of the energy *
* * savings during the first year that the consumer will receive as a
result of the standard, as calculated under the applicable test
procedure * * *.'' The rebuttable presumption test is an alternative
path to establishing economic justification.
Third, DOE may specify a different standard level than that which
applies generally to a type or class of equipment for any group of
products ``which have the same function or intended use, if * * *
products within such group--(A) consume a different kind of energy from
that consumed by other covered products within such type (or class); or
(B) have a capacity or other performance-related feature which other
products within such type (or class) do not have and such feature
justifies a higher or lower standard'' than applies or will apply to
the other products. (See 42 U.S.C. 6295(q)(1)) Any rule prescribing
such a standard includes an explanation of the basis on which DOE
establishes such higher or lower level. (See 42 U.S.C. 6295(q)(2))
Federal energy efficiency requirements for equipment covered by 42
U.S.C. 6317 generally supersede State laws or regulations concerning
energy conservation testing, labeling, and standards. (42 U.S.C.
6297(a)-(c) and 42 U.S.C. 6316(a)) DOE can, however, grant waivers of
preemption for particular State laws or regulations,
[[Page 58194]]
in accordance with the procedures and other provisions of section
327(d) of the Act. (42 U.S.C. 6297(d) and 42 U.S.C. 6316(a))
B. Background
1. Current Standards
Presently, there are no national energy conservation standards for
the liquid-immersed and medium-voltage, dry-type distribution
transformers covered by this rulemaking. However, on August 8, 2005,
EPACT 2005 amended EPCA to establish energy conservation standards for
low-voltage, dry-type distribution transformers.\3\ (EPACT 2005,
Section 135(c); 42 U.S.C. 6295(y)) The standard levels for low-voltage
dry-type transformers appear in Table II.1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ EPACT 2005 established that the efficiency of a low-voltage
dry-type distribution transformer manufactured on or after January
1, 2007 shall be the Class I Efficiency Levels for distribution
transformers specified in Table 4-2 of the ``Guide for Determining
Energy Efficiency for Distribution Transformers'' published by the
National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA TP 1-2002).
Table II.1.--Energy Conservation Standards for Low-Voltage, Dry-Type
Distribution Transformers
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single-phase Three-phase
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Efficiency Efficiency
kVA (%) kVA (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
15.......................... 97.7 15............. 97.0
25.......................... 98.0 30............. 97.5
37.5........................ 98.2 45............. 97.7
50.......................... 98.3 75............. 98.0
75.......................... 98.5 112.5.......... 98.2
100......................... 98.6 150............ 98.3
167......................... 98.7 225............ 98.5
250......................... 98.8 300............ 98.6
333......................... 98.9 500............ 98.7
............ 750............ 98.8
............ 1000........... 98.9
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: All efficiency values are at 35 percent of nameplate-rated load,
determined according to the DOE test procedure. 10 CFR Part 431,
Subpart K, Appendix A.
DOE incorporated these standards into its regulations, along with
the standards for several other types of products and equipment, in a
Final Rule published on October 18, 2005. 70 FR 60407, 60416-60417.
2. History of Standards Rulemaking for Distribution Transformers
On October 22, 1997, the Secretary of Energy published a notice
stating that DOE ``has determined, based on the best information
currently available, that energy conservation standards for electric
distribution transformers are technologically feasible, economically
justified and would result in significant energy savings.'' 62 FR
54809. The Secretary based this determination, in part, on analyses
conducted by DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The two
reports containing these analyses--Determination Analysis of Energy
Conservation Standards for Distribution Transformers, ORNL-6847 (1996)
and Supplement to the ``Determination Analysis,'' ORNL-6847 (1997)--are
available on the DOE Web site at: https://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/commercial/distribution_transformers.html.
As a result of its positive determination, in 2000 DOE developed
the Framework Document for Distribution Transformer Energy Conservation
Standards Rulemaking, which described the approaches DOE anticipated
using to develop energy conservation standards for distribution
transformers. This document is also available on the above-referenced
DOE website. On November 1, 2000, DOE held a public meeting to discuss
the proposed analytical framework. Manufacturers, trade associations,
electric utilities, energy efficiency organizations, regulators, and
other interested parties attended this meeting. Stakeholders also
submitted written comments on the Framework Document addressing a range
of issues.
In the first quarter of 2002, prior to issuing its ANOPR, DOE met
with manufacturers of liquid-immersed and dry-type distribution
transformers to solicit feedback on a draft engineering analysis report
DOE had published containing a proposed analytical structure for the
engineering analysis and some initial transformer designs. In addition,
DOE also posted draft screening, engineering, and LCC analysis reports
on its website, and held a live Webcast on the LCC analysis on October
17, 2002.\4\ DOE received comments from stakeholders on the draft
reports, and these comments helped improve the quality of the analyses
included in the ANOPR for this rulemaking, which was published on July
29, 2004. 69 FR 45376. In preparation for the September 28, 2004, ANOPR
public meeting, DOE held a Webcast to acquaint stakeholders with the
analytical tools and with other material DOE had published the previous
month.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ Copies of all the draft analyses published before the ANOPR
are available on DOE's Web site: https://www.eere.energy.gov/
buildings/appliance_standards/commercial/distribution_
transformers_draft_analysis.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On August 5, 2005, DOE posted its draft NOPR analysis for the
liquid-immersed and medium-voltage, dry-type distribution transformers
on its Web site for early public review, along with spreadsheets for
several of these analyses. This early publication of the draft NOPR
analysis included the draft engineering analysis, LCC analysis,
national impact analysis, and manufacturer impact analysis (MIA), and
the draft TSD chapters associated with each of these analyses. The
purpose of publishing these four draft analyses was to give
stakeholders an opportunity to review the analyses and prepare
recommendations for DOE as to the appropriate standard levels.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ Copies of the four draft NOPR analyses published in August
2005 are available on DOE's Web site: https://www.eere.energy.gov/
buildings/appliance_standards/commercial/distribution_
transformers_draft_analysis_nopr.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On April 27, 2006, DOE published its Final Rule on Test Procedures
for
[[Page 58195]]
Distribution Transformers. In addition to establishing the procedure
for sampling and testing distribution transformers so that
manufacturers can make representations as to their efficiency as well
as establish that they comply with Federal standards, this final rule
also contained enforcement provisions, outlining the procedure the
Department would follow should it initiate an enforcement action
against a manufacturer. 71 FR 24972; 10 CFR 431.198.
On July 25, 2006, DOE published a NOPR proposing compliance
certification procedures for a range of consumer products and
commercial and industrial equipment, including distribution
transformers. This NOPR included both a compliance statement and a
certification report for distribution transformer manufacturers. 71 FR
42178. DOE is currently preparing its final rule for that proceeding,
which will establish requirements around the compliance statement and
certification report for distribution transformers and other products
and equipment.
On August 4, 2006, DOE published the distribution transformer
energy conservation standards NOPR. 71 FR 44355. In conjunction with
the NOPR, DOE also published on its Web site the complete TSD for the
proposed rule, which incorporated the final analyses DOE conducted and
technical documentation for each analysis. The TSD included the
engineering analysis spreadsheets, the LCC spreadsheet, the national
impact analysis spreadsheet, and the MIA spreadsheet--all of which are
available on DOE's Web site.\6\ Table II.2 presents the energy
conservation standard levels DOE proposed in the NOPR for liquid-
immersed distribution transformers, and Table II.3 presents the energy
conservation standard levels DOE proposed for medium-voltage, dry-type
distribution transformers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ The Web site address for all the spreadsheets developed for
this rulemaking proceeding are available at: https://
www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/commercial/
distribution_transformers_draft_analysis_nopr.html.
Table II.2.--NOPR Proposed Energy Conservation Standard Levels for
Liquid-Immersed Distribution Transformers
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single-phase Three-phase
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Efficiency Efficiency
kVA (%) kVA (%)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.......................... 98.40 15............. 98.36
15.......................... 98.56 30............. 98.62
25.......................... 98.73 45............. 98.76
37.5........................ 98.85 75............. 98.91
50.......................... 98.90 112.5.......... 99.01
75.......................... 99.04 150............ 99.08
100......................... 99.10 225............ 99.17
167......................... 99.21 300............ 99.23
250......................... 99.26 500............ 99.32
333......................... 99.31 750............ 99.24
500......................... 99.38 1000........... 99.29
667......................... 99.42 1500........... 99.36
833......................... 99.45 2000........... 99.40
2500........... 99.44
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: All efficiency values are at 50 percent of nameplate-rated load,
determined according to the DOE test procedure. 10 CFR Part 431,
Subpart K, Appendix A.
Table II.3.--NOPR Proposed Energy Conservation Standard Levels for Medium-Voltage, Dry-Type Distribution Transformers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single-phase Three-phase
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[gteqt]96
20-45 kV 46-95 kV [gteqt]96 kV 20-45 kV 46-95 kV kV
BIL kVA Efficiency Efficiency Efficiency BIL kVA Efficiency Efficiency Efficiency
(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15........................................ 98.10 97.86 ............ 15........................... 97.50 97.19 ...........
25........................................ 98.33 98.12 ............ 30........................... 97.90 97.63 ...........
37.5...................................... 98.49 98.30 ............ 45........................... 98.10 97.86 ...........
50........................................ 98.60 98.42 ............ 75........................... 98.33 98.12 ...........
75........................................ 98.73 98.57 98.53 112.5........................ 98.49 98.30 ...........
100....................................... 98.82 98.67 98.63 150.......................... 98.60 98.42 ...........
167....................................... 98.96 98.83 98.80 225.......................... 98.73 98.57 98.53
250....................................... 99.07 98.95 98.91 300.......................... 98.82 98.67 98.63
333....................................... 99.14 99.03 98.99 500.......................... 98.96 98.83 98.80
500....................................... 99.22 99.12 99.09 750.......................... 99.07 98.95 98.91
667....................................... 99.27 99.18 99.15 1000......................... 99.14 99.03 98.99
833....................................... 99.31 99.23 99.20 1500......................... 99.22 99.12 99.09
........... ........... ............ 2000......................... 99.27 99.18 99.15
........... ........... ............ 2500......................... 99.31 99.23 99.20
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: BIL means basic impulse insulation level.
Note: All efficiency values are at 50 percent of nameplate-rated load, determined according to the DOE test procedure. 10 CFR Part 431, Subpart K,
Appendix A.
[[Page 58196]]
In the NOPR, DOE identified seven issues on which it was
particularly interested in receiving comments and views of interested
parties. 71 FR 44406.
On February 9, 2007, DOE issued a notice of data availability and
request for comments (NODA). 72 FR 6186. DOE published this notice in
response to stakeholders who had commented, in response to the NOPR,
that DOE's proposed standards might prevent or render impractical the
replacement of distribution transformers in certain space-constrained
(e.g., vault) installations. In the NODA, DOE sought comment on whether
it should include in the LCC analysis potential costs related to size
constraints of transformers installed in vaults. In the NODA, DOE
outlined different approaches as to how it might account for additional
installation costs for these space-constrained applications. In
addition, DOE also published the NODA in response to certain
stakeholders who commented that DOE should address the consistency
issues for liquid-immersed transformers in the table of efficiency
standards. DOE also requested comments on linking efficiency levels for
three-phase liquid-immersed units with those of single-phase units.
Specifically, in the NODA DOE discussed how it was inclined to consider
a final standard that is based on efficiency levels that are based on
TSL 2 and TSL 3 for three-phase units and TSLs 2, 3 and 4 for single-
phase units. 72 FR 6189. Based on comments on the August 2006 proposed
rule and the February 2007, NODA, DOE created new TSLs, including TSL
B, which is, generally speaking, a combination of TSL 2 for three-phase
units and TSL 3 for single-phase units. DOE received more than 20
written comments in response to this NODA on both the space constraint
issue and how to set final efficiency ratings, which are discussed in
the following sections of this final rule.
In response to the NODA, Cooper Power Systems commented that they
were concerned that the NODA did not indicate any specifics regarding
the proposed TSL levels for any design lines. Cooper states that DOE
needs to publish a new proposed table that represents the mix of
efficiency levels being considered in order for interested parties to
provide solid feedback on the impact of these proposals. (Cooper, No.
175 at p. 1) \7\ ABB provided a similar comment, expressing that they
disagree with DOE's action of indicating that it may adopt a new mix of
TSLs derived from a combination of TSLs 2, 3 and 4 as the final
standard level without specifying exactly which combination is being
considered. (ABB, No. 167 at p. 1) DOE appreciates these two comments,
but does not agree with the stakeholders criticism of DOE's actions and
the rulemaking process for the following reasons. First, the NODA
provided notice to stakeholders that DOE would consider a combination
of TSLs for liquid-immersed distribution transformers for the final
rule. Accordingly, stakeholders have been given an opportunity to
review the existing proposed standard levels and published NOPR
analysis, and provide comments to DOE as to the combination of
efficiency values they believe are the most justified, and why. Second,
DOE did not consider simply one new TSL in today's final rule, but
instead created four new TSLs (TSL A, B, C, and D) based on
combinations of efficiency values from previously proposed TSL 2, 3 and
4. These four combinations of TSLs enabled DOE to consider several
different efficiency values for liquid-immersed transformers for the
final rule, decreasing the burdens associated with inconsistencies
between three-phase and single-phase units and eliminating the
discontinuities of efficiency values between design lines. In addition,
the four combinations of TSLs attempt to maximize national and consumer
benefits and select appropriate, cost-justified, efficiency levels
across all the design lines. Third, all of the actual efficiency
ratings considered in the four new TSL combinations developed for
today's final rule were previously published in DOE's August 2006 NOPR.
For all of these reasons, DOE believes the NODA provides stakeholders
sufficient notice and opportunity for comment concerning the standard
level adopted by today's final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\A notation in the form ``Cooper, No. 175 at p. 1'' identifies
a written comment DOE received and included in the docket for this
rulemaking. This particular notation refers to a comment (a) by
Cooper Power Systems (Cooper), (b) in document number 175 in the
docket of this rulemaking (maintained in the Resource Room of the
Building Technologies Program), and (c) appearing on page 1 of
document number 175.
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III. General Discussion
A. Test Procedures
Section 7(c) of the Process Rule (Procedures for Consideration of
New or Revised Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Products,
Title 10 CFR part 430, Subpart C, Appendix A; 61 FR 36974) \8\
indicates that DOE will issue a final test procedure, if one is needed,
prior to issuing a proposed rule for energy conservation standards. DOE
published its test procedure for distribution transformers as a final
rule on April 27, 2006. 71 FR 24972.
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\8\ The Process Rule provides guidance on how DOE conducts its
energy conservation standards rulemakings, including the analytical
steps and sequencing of rulemaking stages (such as test procedures
and energy conservation standards).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Technological Feasibility
1. General
There are distribution transformers in the market at all of the
efficiency levels prescribed in today's final rule. Therefore, DOE
believes all of the efficiency levels adopted by today's final rule are
technologically feasible.
2. Maximum Technologically Feasible Levels
Applying the requirements of 42 U.S.C. 6295(p)(2), and as discussed
in the proposed rule, DOE determined ``the maximum improvement in
energy efficiency or maximum reduction in energy use that is
technologically feasible.'' 71 FR 44362. DOE determined the ``max-
tech'' efficiency levels in the engineering analysis (see Chapter 5 in
the TSD) and then used these highest efficiency designs to establish
the max-tech levels for the LCC analysis (see Chapter 8 in the TSD).
DOE then scaled these max-tech efficiencies to the other kVA ratings
within a given design line, establishing max-tech efficiencies for all
the distribution transformer kVA ratings.
C. Energy Savings
DOE forecasted energy savings in its national energy savings (NES)
analysis, through the use of an NES spreadsheet tool, as discussed in
the proposed rule. 71 FR 44361, 44363, 44380-44381, 44384, 44393,
44401.
One of the criteria that govern DOE's adoption of standards for
distribution transformers is that the standard must result in
``significant'' energy savings. (42 U.S.C. 6317(a)) While EPCA does not
define the term ``significant,'' a U.S. Court of Appeals, in Natural
Resources Defense Council v. Herrington, 768 F.2d 1355, 1373 (D.C. Cir.
1985), indicated that Congress intended ``significant'' energy savings
in section 325 of EPCA to be savings that were not ``genuinely
trivial.'' The energy savings for the standard levels DOE is adopting
today are nontrivial, and therefore DOE considers them ``significant''
as required by 42 U.S.C. 6317(a).
D. Economic Justification
As noted earlier, EPCA provides seven factors for DOE to evaluate
in determining whether an energy conservation standard for distribution
transformers is economically justified. The following discussion
explains how DOE has addressed each of these seven
[[Page 58197]]
factors in this rulemaking. (42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(i))
1. Economic Impact on Commercial Consumers and Manufacturers
DOE considered the economic impact of the standard on commercial
consumers and manufacturers, as discussed in the proposed rule. 71 FR
44361, 44363-44364, 44367, 44376-44277, 44379, 44381-44384, 44385-
44389, 44390-44393, 44394, 44396-44400, 44401-44404. DOE updated the
analyses to incorporate more recent material price information. One
significant change to the MIA was the inclusion of lower conversion-
capital expenditure estimates for those trial standard levels (TSLs)
which require or otherwise trigger manufacturers to switch to amorphous
core technology. DOE based the revised estimates on information
provided by industry experts (see Section V.A.3 below).
2. Life-Cycle Costs
DOE considered life-cycle costs of distribution transformers, as
discussed in the proposed rule. 71 FR 44362-44363, 44371-44376, 44378-
44379, 44385-44390, 44395-44396. It calculated the sum of the purchase
price and the operating expense--discounted over the lifetime of the
equipment--to estimate the range in LCC benefits that commercial
consumers would expect to achieve due to the new standards. DOE also
examined the economic justification for its proposed standards for
distribution transformers by applying section 325(o)(2)(B)(iii) of EPCA
(42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(iii)), which provides that there is a
rebuttable presumption that an energy conservation standard is
economically justified if the increased installed cost for a product
that meets the standard is less than three times the value of the
first-year energy savings resulting from the standard, as calculated
under the applicable DOE test procedure. 71 FR 44388-44389. Some of the
standard levels DOE is adopting today satisfy the rebuttable
presumption test but others do not. However, DOE determined all of them
to be economically justified based on the above-described analyses.
3. Energy Savings
While significant conservation of energy is a separate statutory
requirement for imposing an energy conservation standard, in
determining the economic justification of a standard, DOE considers the
total projected energy savings that are expected to result directly
from the standard. (See 42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(i)(III)) DOE used the
NES spreadsheet results in its consideration of total projected
savings. 71 FR 44361, 44363, 44380-44381, 44384, 44393, 44401.
4. Lessening of Utility or Performance of Equipment
In selecting today's standard levels, DOE avoided new standards for
distribution transformers that lessen the utility or performance of the
equipment under consideration in this rulemaking. (See 42 U.S.C.
6295(o)(2)(B)(i)(IV)) DOE sought to capture in the economic analysis
the impact of any increase in transformer size or weight associated
with efficiency improvements. Specifically when selecting the new
standards, DOE considered the installation costs for pole-mounted
transformers and vault transformers that may be incurred with larger,
heavier, more efficient transformers. 71 FR 44363, 44394. In addition,
DOE recognizes that underground mining transformers are subject to
unique and extreme dimensional constraints which impact the efficiency
and performance of these distribution transformers. Therefore, DOE is
establishing a separate product class for underground mining
transformers. In the future, DOE may consider establishing energy
conservation standards for underground mining transformers. DOE is not
setting a standard for underground mining transformers in today's final
rule, rather it is reserving a section and intends to develop analysis
that would establish an appropriate energy conservation standard for
underground mining transformers in the future. Finally, when selecting
today's standard, DOE carefully reviewed the results of an engineering
sensitivity analysis on primary winding voltages. This sensitivity
analysis considers higher primary voltages than those used in the
representative units studied in the engineering analysis. This
sensitivity analysis enables DOE to evaluate the impact on cost and
efficiency associated with the final rule TSLs. (see Section V.A.1.a in
this notice, and TSD Appendix 5D) Thus, the analysis in today's final
rule takes into consideration the additional costs associated with
space-constrained pole-mounted and vault transformers, and ensures that
higher primary voltages are not eliminated from the market. Based on
DOE's engineering analysis, DOE concludes that more efficient pole-
mounted and vault transformers are technologically feasible. However,
in some instances, DOE believes that transformer poles and vaults may
need to be replaced to accommodate the more efficient transformers as a
result of today's final rule. DOE included increased installation costs
of such pole-mounted and vault transformer in its analysis. In this
way, DOE has captured the costs and benefits of replacement pole-
mounted and vault transformers. Details of pole and vault replacement
cost estimation methods are provided in sections 7.3.1 and 7.3.5 of TSD
Chapter 7.
5. Impact of Any Lessening of Competition
DOE considers any lessening of competition that is likely to result
from standards. Accordingly, as discussed in the proposed rule, 71 FR
44363-44364, 44394, at DOE's request, the Department of Justice (DOJ)
reviewed the proposed standard level (i.e., the NOPR) and transmitted
to the Secretary a written determination of the impact of any lessening
of competition likely to result, together with an analysis of the
nature and extent of such impact. (See 42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(i)(V)
and (B)(ii)) DOE addressed the issues raised in the Attorney General's
response to the NOPR, as discussed in section VI.C.5 of today's final
rule. The letter DOJ submitted to DOE in response to the NOPR appears
at the end of this notice of final rulemaking.
Today's final rule, which follows publication of the NODA, adopts a
standard level that is higher than the standard proposed in the NOPR
for certain liquid-immersed distribution transformers. DOJ was provided
draft copies of the notice of final rulemaking and the final rule TSD
for review. The Attorney General did not express any concerns about
impacts associated with today's final rule. A copy of Attorney
General's letter to DOE in response to the final rule also appears at
the end of this notice of final rulemaking.
6. Need of the Nation To Conserve Energy
The Secretary recognizes that energy conservation benefits the
Nation in several important ways. The non-monetary benefits of a
standard are likely to be reflected in improvements to the security of
the Nation's energy system. In addition, reductions in the overall
demand for energy will result in reduced costs for maintaining
reliability of the Nation's electricity system. Finally, today's
standards will likely result in reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
As discussed in the proposed rule, DOE has considered these factors in
adopting today's standards. 71 FR 44364, 44384, 44394-44395, 44398-
44400. (See 42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(i)(VI))
[[Page 58198]]
7. Other Factors
The Secretary of Energy, in determining whether a standard is
economically justified, considers any other factors the Secretary deems
to be relevant. (See 42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(i)(VII)) The results of
the utility impact analysis, and the analysis of national employment
impacts are ``other factors'' that the Secretary took into
consideration. In addition, for this rulemaking, the Secretary also
took into consideration stakeholder concerns about the increasing cost
of raw materials for building transformers, the volatility of material
prices, and the cumulative effect of material price increases on the
transformer industry, as discussed in the proposed rule. 71 FR 44364,
44395. Since issuance of the NOPR, DOE conducted two engineering
sensitivity evaluations--one considering current (2006) material prices
and a second considering transformers with alternative primary voltages
that have higher insulation requirements (and are therefore more
expensive and less efficient to manufacture). Also, as it had done in
the proposed rule, DOE conducted LCC sensitivities, evaluating
engineering analysis cost-efficiency curves generated using a high
material price scenario \9\ and a low material price scenario,\10\ and
other variable inputs in the LCC analysis. In selecting today's
standards, DOE also took into consideration the need to have
consistency in the efficiency requirements between single-phase and
three-phase liquid-immersed transformers. See section V.C.1 for
discussion on development of the final rule TSLs, including how single-
phase and three-phase consistency was maintained between the liquid-
immersed product classes.
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\9\ The high material price scenario is based on using the year
with the highest material prices in the five-year sample (i.e., 2002
to 2006) of material prices updated for the final rule. In this
sample, the year with the highest overall material prices was 2006.
See TSD Chapter 5 for a discussion on material prices.
\10\ The low material price scenario is based on selecting the
year with the lowest M6 material price in the five-year sample
(i.e., 2002), and then applying a uniform 15 percent discount to all
the material prices from that year. See TSD Chapter 5 for a
discussion on material prices.
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IV. Methodology and Discussion of Comments on Methodology
DOE used a number of analytical tools that it previously developed
and adapted for use in this rulemaking. The first tool is a spreadsheet
that calculates LCC and payback period (PBP). The second tool
calculates NES and national NPV. DOE also used the Government
Regulatory Impact Model (GRIM), among other methods, in its MIA.
Finally, DOE developed an approach using the National Energy Modeling
System (NEMS) to estimate impacts of distribution transformer energy
conservation standards on electric utilities and the environment.
Regarding the analytical methodology, DOE has continued to use the
spreadsheets and approaches explained in the proposed rule. 71 FR
44364-44384. It revised them, and applied them again to develop the
analysis for this final rule. The tables below summarize all the major
NOPR inputs to the LCC and PBP analysis, the Shipments Analysis and the
National Impact Analysis, and whether those inputs were revised for the
final rule. In addition to these updates, DOE also updated the material
prices it used for the engineering analysis, as discussed in TSD
Chapter 5.
Table IV.1.--Final Rule Inputs for the LCC and PBP Analyses
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Changes for
Inputs NOPR description final rule
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Affecting Installed Costs
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equipment price............... Derived by multiplying No change.
manufacturer selling
price (from the
engineering analysis)
by distributor markup
and contractor markup
plus sales tax for
dry-type
transformers. For
liquid-immersed
transformers, DOE
used manufacturer
selling price plus
small distributor
markup plus sales
tax. Shipping costs
were included for
both types of
