Department of Energy January 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is publishing this final rule to implement provisions in the Energy Conservation and Production Act (ECPA) that require DOE to update the baseline Federal energy efficiency performance standards for the construction of new Federal low-rise residential buildings. This rule updates the baseline Federal residential standard to the International Code Council (ICC) 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including residential central air conditioners and heat pumps. EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to periodically determine whether more-stringent, amended standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. In this direct final rule, DOE adopts amended energy conservation standards for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps.

The Deputy Secretary of Energy extended, on an interim basis, the existing Washoe Project, Stampede Division, Non-Firm Power Formula Rate, effective October 1, 2017, through September 30, 2022. The existing Non-Firm Power Formula Rate Schedule SNF-7 expires on September 30, 2017. The extended formula rate will be in effect on an interim basis until the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approves the extension on a final basis, or until superseded.

On August 24, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR) to amend the test procedure for central air conditioners and heat pumps. That SNOPR serves as the basis for this final rule. This final rule amends the test procedure and specific certification, compliance, and enforcement provisions related to this product. In this final rule, DOE makes two sets of amendments to the test procedure: Amendments to appendix M that would be required as the basis for making efficiency representations starting 180 days after final rule publication and a new appendix M1 that would be the basis for making efficiency representations as of the compliance date for any amended energy conservation standards. The new appendix M1 establishes new efficiency metrics SEER2, EER2, and HSPF2 that are based on the current efficiency metrics for cooling and heating performance, but generally have different numerical values than the current metrics. Broadly speaking, the amendments address off-mode test procedures, test set-up and fan delays, external static pressure conditions for testing, represented values for CAC/HP that are distributed in commerce with multiple refrigerants, the methodology for testing and calculating heating performance, and testing of variable-speed systems.

Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP or Applicant) has applied for authority to transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada pursuant to section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act.

On May 5, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to establish new test procedures for certain varieties of compressors. That proposed rulemaking serves as the basis for the final rule. This final rule establishes definitions, materials incorporated by reference, sampling plans, representations requirements, enforcement provisions, and test procedures for certain varieties of compressors. Specifically, this final rule establishes full-load package isentropic efficiency as the applicable energy metric for certain fixed-speed compressors and part- load package isentropic efficiency as the applicable energy metric for certain variable-speed compressors. Finally, this final rule incorporates by reference certain sections of the ISO Standard 1217:2009(E), (ISO 1217:2009(E)), ``Displacement compressors Acceptance tests,'' as amended through Amendment 1:2016, as the basis for a test method for determining compressor efficiency. ISO 1217:2009(E) includes a test method for measuring compressor inlet and discharge pressures, actual volume flow rate, electrical input power, package isentropic efficiency, and other compressor performance metrics. This final rule also adopts certain modifications and additions to ISO 1217:2009(E) to increase the specificity of certain testing methods established in ISO 1217:2009(E) and improve the repeatability of tested and measured values.

This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Oak Ridge Reservation. The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that public notice of this meeting be announced in the Federal Register.