Energy Efficiency Test Procedures for Distribution Transformers

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

10 CFR Part 430

Energy Efficiency Test Procedures for Distribution Transformers

[Docket Number EE-DET-97-550]

RIN 1904-AA85

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of

Energy.

ACTION: Notice of public workshop.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) will hold an informal public

workshop to discuss issues and gather information related to test

procedures for electric distribution transformers. All persons are

hereby given notice of the opportunity to attend this public workshop

and to submit written comments.

DATES: The public workshop will be held on Tuesday, February 10, 1998,

from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held at the U.S. Department of Energy,

Forrestal Building, Room 1E-245, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20585.

Written comments are welcome, especially following the workshop.

Please submit 10 copies (no faxes) to: Ms. Kathi Epping, U.S.

Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,

``Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedures

for Distribution Transformers, Docket No. EE-DET-97-550,'' EE-43, 1000

Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202)

586-7425; Telefax: (202) 586-4617.

Copies of the transcript of the public workshop, public comments

received, and this notice may be read (or copied) at the Freedom of

Information Reading Room, U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal

Building, Room 1E-190, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC

20585, (202) 586-7574, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.,

Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathi Epping, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, EE-43, 1000

Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-7425,

email: Kathi.E[email protected], or Edward Levy, Esq., U.S. Department

of Energy, Office of General Counsel, GC-72, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9507, email:

Edward.L[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 22, 1997, the Secretary

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 a significant energy savings. This determination initiated the

process of establishing, by notice and comment rulemaking, test

procedures and energy conservation standards for this product.

The Department of Energy is drafting a proposed rule to implement

the provisions of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, 42 U.S.C.

6317, for test procedures for distribution transformers. However,

several issues have been raised. The purpose of the public workshop is

to discuss the following issues for developing the notice of proposed

rulemaking:

a. Adoption of national and international consensus standards in

the test procedures for determining energy efficiency of distribution

transformers;

b. Burden imposed on industry, especially on manufacturers, by

additional testing and data processing;

c. The definition of ``basic model'' for distribution transformers;

d. Sampling plan for units to be tested;

e. Selection of a measure of energy consumption for distribution

transformers;

f. Selecting reference temperatures--the reference temperatures in

the consensus standards lack uniformity;

g. Requirement for applying corrections to measurement data of both

liquid-immersed and dry-types of transformers; and

h. Requirement for quality assurance in testing.

The Department has prepared a paper entitled ``Issues Paper for the

Distribution Transformers Test Procedures Workshop on February 10,

1998'' that explains and discusses these

[[Page 3054]]

issues in greater detail. For many of the issues, the paper sets forth

approaches that the Department is considering and may propose in the

notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR). In addition, the National

Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has prepared a draft set

of test procedures for transformers, and the Department is considering

these as well in preparing the NOPR. Copies of the issues paper and the

NIST draft are available upon request.

The Department is particularly interested in receiving at the

workshop comments and views of interested parties concerning (1) the

above-listed issues, (2) the approaches the Department is considering

for addressing these issues, (3) the NIST draft of test procedures, and

(4) possible alternatives to the approaches the Department is

considering and to the provisions in NIST's draft test procedures. The

Department encourages those who wish to participate in the workshop to

obtain the issue paper and the NIST draft, and to make presentations

that address their contents. Workshop participants need not limit their

statements to those topics, however. The Department is interested in

receiving views concerning other issues that participants believe would

affect the content of distribution transformer test procedures.

The meeting will be conducted in an informal, conference style. A

court reporter will be present to record the minutes of the meeting.

There shall be no discussion of proprietary information, costs or

prices, market shares, or other commercial matters regulated by

antitrust law. After the meeting and a period for written statements,

the Department will consider the views presented in formulating a

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding energy efficiency test

procedures for distribution transformers.

If you would like to participate in the workshop, to receive

workshop materials, or to be added to the DOE mailing list to receive

future notices and information regarding distribution transformers,

please contact Ms. Brenda Edwards-Jones at (202) 586-2945.

Issued in Washington, DC, on January 14, 1998.

Dan W. Reicher,

Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

[FR Doc. 98-1370 Filed 1-20-98; 8:45 am]

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