Rulemaking for Battery Chargers and External Power Supplies Energy Conservation Standard

DOE has published a Federal Register notice of proposed rulemaking regarding service and spare parts for external power supplies. 80 FR 71984 (November 18, 2015). DOE is proposing to codify provisions of the EPS Service Parts Act of 2014 that exempt from energy conservation standards certain external power supplies (EPSs) made available by a manufacturer as a service or spare part.  In addition, DOE is proposing to require annual reports of the total number of exempt EPS units sold as service and spare parts that do not meet the relevant energy conservation standards.

There is no public meeting scheduled at this time. 

The comment period closes December 18, 2015.

Any comments submitted must identify the NOPR for Exempt External Power Supplies Under the EPS Service Parts Act of 2014, and provide docket number EERE-2015-BT-CRT-0013 and/or regulatory information number (RIN) number 1904-AD53. Comments may be submitted using any of the following methods:

1.    Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

2.     E-mail: EPSServiceParts2015CRT0013@ee.doe.gov . Include the docket number and/or RIN in the subject line of the message.

3. Postal Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, Mailstop EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, 20585-0121.  If possible, please submit all items on a compact disc (CD), in which case it is not necessary to include printed copies.

4. Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, Building Technologies Office, 950 L’Enfant Plaza, SW., Suite 600, Washington, DC, 20024.  Telephone: (202) 586-2945.  If possible, please submit all items on a CD, in which case it is not necessary to include printed copies.

Any comments submitted must identify the NOPR for Exempt External Power Supplies Under the EPS Service Parts Act of 2014 EERE-2015-BT-CRT-0013. contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents. For the latest information on the planned timing of future DOE regulatory milestones, see the current Office of Management and Budget Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. All planned dates are preliminary and subject to change.

The battery chargers energy conservation standard rulemaking docket EERE–2008–BT–STD–0005 contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents. For the latest information on the planned timing of future DOE regulatory milestones, see the current Office of Management and Budget Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. All planned dates are preliminary and subject to change.

DOE has also conducted test procedure rulemakings for battery chargers and external power supplies. To learn more about these activities, please visit the test procedure sections of the battery chargers and external power supplies product pages.

The current energy conservation standards for battery chargers and external power supplies are mandated by Part A, the ‘‘Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other Than Automobiles’’ of Title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended. (42 U.S.C. 6291–6309) These appliances are treated as covered products under Part A. (42 U.S.C. 6295(u))