Department of Energy February 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or the ``Department'') has determined tentatively that computer and battery backup systems (hereafter referred to as ``computer systems'') qualify as a covered product under Part A of Title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended. This notice supersedes DOE's previous proposed determination of coverage relating to computers, and expands the scope of coverage to include computer systems. DOE has determined that computer systems meet the criteria for covered products because classifying products of such type as covered products is necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of EPCA, and the average U.S. household energy use for computer systems is likely to exceed 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is initiating a rulemaking and data collection process to consider amendments to the DOE test procedures for commercial water heaters, unfired hot water storage tanks, and hot water supply boilers (henceforth, ``commercial water heating equipment''). To inform interested parties and to facilitate this process, DOE has identified several issues associated with the current Federal test procedures on which DOE is particularly interested in receiving comment. In overview, the issues outlined in this document mainly concern updating the industry test standards that are currently incorporated by reference to the most recent versions, potential alternative methods for determining the efficiency of unfired storage tanks, potential changes to the method for setting the thermostat, potential clarifications in the thermal efficiency test method, and the potential inclusion of a test method for commercial heat pump water heaters (HPWH). DOE anticipates that these issues (as well as any others which are identified during the course of this rulemaking) may lead to proposed test procedure amendments in a subsequent notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR). DOE welcomes written comments and data from the public on all aspects of this test procedure, including topics not raised in this RFI.

The Wind Power Technologies Office within the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy intends to hold an External Merit Review in Arlington, VA, on March 24- 28, 2014. The External Review Panel will review current projects and provide feedback on technical/scientific/business merit, the actual or anticipated results, and the productivity and management effectiveness of projects. The review panel will also assess projects' potential impact on the wind power industry and identify additional research initiatives and resources that might be required in the future. The event is open to the public based upon space availability.

This notice announces a meeting of the Methane Hydrate Advisory Committee. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that notice of these meetings be announced in the Federal Register.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces its decision to issue loan guarantees under Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) totaling approximately $8.3 billion to one or more of the following applicants for the construction and start-up of the proposed Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP) Units 3 and 4 advanced nuclear reactors for the production of electrical power in Burke County, Georgia: Georgia Power Company; Oglethorpe Power Corporation; and Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and its subsidiaries. The VEGP Units 3 and 4 would be located in a rural area in eastern Burke County, Georgia, which is the site of two operating nuclear reactor units (VEGP Units 1 and 2). A new 55-mile, 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line would be constructed to bring power from the switchyard for the new units to the Thomson substation 20 miles west of Augusta, Georgia. The potential environmental impacts of constructing and operating the proposed project, including the transmission line, were analyzed pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for an Early Site Permit (ESP) at the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant Site (FEIS) and Supplemental EIS (SEIS) for the Combined Licenses (COLs) prepared by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). DOE determined that the project analyzed in the FEIS and SEIS (the NRC EISs) was substantially the same as the project that would be covered by the DOE loan guarantees. DOE was not a cooperating agency with NRC on the EISs and subsequently adopted and re-circulated them as a DOE final EIS (DOE/EIS-0476). The formal announcement of adoption and recirculation was published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on February 17, 2012 (77 FR 9652).

This notice announces a combined meeting of the Environmental Monitoring and Remediation Committee and Waste Management Committee of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Northern New Mexico (known locally as the Northern New Mexico Citizens' Advisory Board [NNMCAB]). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. No. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of this meeting be announced in the Federal Register.

This action is a proposal to extend the existing Falcon and Amistad Projects' Firm Power Rate Formula through June 7, 2019. The Falcon and Amistad Projects' Firm Power Rate Formula will expire on June 7, 2014.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of its decision and order in Case No. RF-034 that grants to Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (Samsung) a waiver from the DOE electric refrigerator and refrigerator-freezer test procedures for specific basic models set forth in its petition for waiver. In its petition, Samsung provides an alternate test procedure that is identical to the test procedure DOE published in a final rule dated January 25, 2012 (77 FR 3559) that manufacturers will be required to use starting in 2014. Under today's decision and order, Samsung shall be required to test and rate these refrigerator-freezers using an alternate test procedure as adopted in that January 2012 final rule, which accounts for multiple defrost cycles when measuring energy consumption.