SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Scope.—For purposes of these investigations, Commerce has defined the subject merchandise as all large diameter graphite electrodes of any length, whether or not finished, of a kind used in furnaces, with a nominal or actual diameter exceeding 425 millimeters (16.7 inches), and whether or not attached to a graphite pin joining system or any other type of joining system or hardware. The merchandise covered by the investigation also includes graphite pin joining systems (commonly referred to as pins or nipples) for large diameter graphite electrodes, of any length, and with a minimum diameter of 228.6 mm (9 inches) at its widest transverse cross-section, whether or not finished, of a kind used in furnaces, and whether or not the graphite pin joining system is attached to, sold with, or sold separately from, the large diameter graphite electrode. Unfinished large diameter graphite electrodes are graphitized electrodes that have not undergone final machining. For purposes of the investigation, the country of origin is determined by the country of graphitization.

Excluded from the scope of the investigation are large diameter graphite electrodes that are subject to the existing antidumping duty order on Small Diameter Graphite Electrodes from the People's Republic of China. See Antidumping Duty Order: Small Diameter Graphite Electrodes from the People's Republic of China,74 FR 8775 (February 26, 2009) (SDGE China AD Order) due to an affirmative determination of circumvention that imports of graphite electrodes from the People's Republic of China, produced and/or exported by Sinosteel Jilin Carbon Co., Ltd. and Jilin Carbon Import & Export Company (collectively, Jilin Carbon), with an actual or nominal diameter of 17 inches and otherwise meeting the description of the scope of the SDGE China AD Order constitute merchandise subject to the SDGE China AD Order. See Small Diameter Graphite Electrodes from the People's Republic of China: Affirmative Final Determination of Circumvention of the Antidumping Duty Order and Rescission of Later-Developed Merchandise Anticircumvention Inquiry,78 FR 56864 (September 16, 2013). In the case of graphite electrodes entering the United States determined to be subject to the SDGE China AD Order, such order controls. In the case of graphite electrodes entering the United States meeting the scope definition of the investigation and not covered by the scope of the SDGE China AD Order, the scope of the investigation controls.

Excluded from the scope of the investigation are certain thermal energy storage (TES) graphite blocks. The excluded TES graphite blocks are machine-milled, non-cylindrical graphite blocks, which have: a coefficient of thermal expansion of 1.5 µm/(m·K) or greater, and an apparent (also known as bulk) density below 1.74 g/cm3, and which have an actual length of between 228.6 mm (9.0 inches) and 3010 mm (118.5 inches), an actual width between 228.6 mm (9.0 inches) and 560 mm (22.0 inches), an actual height between 228.6 mm (9.0 inches) and 560 mm (22.0 inches), and which have been machined to include two or more holes of at least 150 mm (5.9 inches) in depth and at least 35 mm (1.4 inches) in diameter.

The two or more 150 mm deep holes must be located: (i) along the longest centerline of the longest side of the block, each located on the same side of the block, (ii) spaced at intervals of no greater than 1000 mm (39.4 inches) apart as measured from the outer edge of the holes, and (iii) with the hole closest to each end of the longest centerline located within 1000 mm of the corresponding end of the block. Blocks may contain any number of additional holes, channels, or grooves in any configuration or location, provided that at least two or more holes of at least 150 mm depth are present as described above.

Further excluded from the scope of the investigation are certain TES graphite blocks, anchors, and pins, regardless of shape, which have a coefficient of thermal expansion of 1.5 µm/(m·K) or greater, and an apparent (also known as bulk) density below 1.74 g/cm3, with actual dimensions such that any one or more of the length, width, or height is less than 228.6 mm (9.0 inches).

Background.—The final phase of these investigations is being scheduled pursuant to sections 705(b) and 731(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671d(b) and 1673d(b)), as a result of affirmative preliminary determinations by Commerce that certain benefits which constitute subsidies within the meaning of § 703 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1671b) are being provided to manufacturers, producers, or exporters in China and India of large diameter graphite electrodes, and that such products are being sold in the United States at less than fair value within the meaning of § 733 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1673b). The investigations were requested in petitions filed on February 24, 2026, by Resonac Graphite America Inc., Ridgeville, South Carolina; and Tokai Carbon GE LLC, Charlotte, North Carolina.

For further information concerning the conduct of this phase of the investigations, hearing procedures, and rules of general application, consult the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, part 201, subparts A and B (19 CFR part 201), and part 207, subparts A and C (19 CFR part 207).

Participation in the investigations and public service list.—Persons, including industrial users of the subject merchandise and, if the merchandise is sold at the retail level, representative consumer organizations, wishing to participate in the final phase of these investigations as parties must file an entry of appearance with the Secretary to the Commission, as provided in § 201.11 of the Commission's rules, no later than 21 days prior to the hearing date specified in this notice. A party that filed a notice of appearance during ( printed page 67330) the preliminary phase of the investigations need not file an additional notice of appearance during this final phase. The Secretary will maintain a public service list containing the names and addresses of all persons, or their representatives, who are parties to the investigations.

Please note the Secretary's Office will accept only electronic filings during this time. Filings must be made through the Commission's Electronic Document Information System (EDIS, edis.usitc.gov). No in-person paper-based filings or paper copies of any electronic filings will be accepted until further notice.

Limited disclosure of business proprietary information (BPI) under an administrative protective order (APO) and BPI service list.—Pursuant to § 207.7(a) of the Commission's rules, the Secretary will make BPI gathered in the final phase of these investigations available to authorized applicants under the APO issued in the investigations, provided that the application is made no later than 21 days prior to the hearing date specified in this notice. Authorized applicants must represent interested parties, as defined by 19 U.S.C. 1677(9), who are parties to the investigations. A party granted access to BPI in the preliminary phase of the investigations need not reapply for such access. A separate service list will be maintained by the Secretary for those parties authorized to receive BPI under the APO.

Staff report.—The prehearing staff report in the final phase of these investigations will be placed in the nonpublic record on January 26, 2027, and a public version will be issued thereafter, pursuant to § 207.22 of the Commission's rules.

Hearing.—The Commission will hold a hearing in connection with the final phase of these investigations beginning at 9:30 a.m. on February 9, 2027. Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed in writing with the Secretary to the Commission on or before February 3, 2027. Any requests to appear as a witness via videoconference must be included with your request to appear. Requests to appear via videoconference must include a statement explaining why the witness cannot appear in person; the Chairman, or other person designated to conduct the investigations, may in their discretion for good cause shown, grant such a request. Requests to appear as remote witness due to illness or a positive COVID-19 test result may be submitted by 3:00 p.m. the business day prior to the hearing. Further information about participation in the hearing will be posted on the Commission's website at www.usitc.gov/​calendarpad/​calendar.html.

A nonparty who has testimony that may aid the Commission's deliberations may request permission to present a short statement at the hearing. All parties and nonparties desiring to appear at the hearing and make oral presentations should attend a prehearing conference, if deemed necessary, to be held at 9:30 a.m. on February 8, 2027. Parties shall file and serve written testimony and presentation slides in connection with their presentation at the hearing by no later than noon on February 8, 2027. Oral testimony and written materials to be submitted at the public hearing are governed by sections 201.6(b)(2), 201.13(f), and 207.24 of the Commission's rules. Parties must submit any request to present a portion of their hearing testimony in camera no later than 7 business days prior to the date of the hearing.

Written submissions.—Each party who is an interested party shall submit a prehearing brief to the Commission. Prehearing briefs must conform with the provisions of § 207.23 of the Commission's rules; the deadline for filing is 5:15 p.m. on February 2, 2027. Parties shall also file written testimony in connection with their presentation at the hearing, and posthearing briefs, which must conform with the provisions of § 207.25 of the Commission's rules. The deadline for filing posthearing briefs is 5:15 p.m. on February 17, 2027. In addition, any person who has not entered an appearance as a party to the investigations may submit a written statement of information pertinent to the subject of the investigations, including statements of support or opposition to the petition, on or before 5:15 p.m. on February 17, 2027. On March 8, 2027, the Commission will make available to parties all information on which they have not had an opportunity to comment. Parties may submit final comments on this information on or before 5:15 p.m. on March 10, 2027, but such final comments must not contain new factual information and must otherwise comply with § 207.30 of the Commission's rules. All written submissions must conform with the provisions of § 201.8 of the Commission's rules; any submissions that contain BPI must also conform with the requirements of §§ 201.6, 207.3, and 207.7 of the Commission's rules. The Commission's Handbook on Filing Procedures, available on the Commission's website at www.usitc.gov/​documents/​handbook_​on_​filing_​procedures.pdf, elaborates upon the Commission's procedures with respect to filings.

Additional written submissions to the Commission, including requests pursuant to § 201.12 of the Commission's rules, shall not be accepted unless good cause is shown for accepting such submissions, or unless the submission is pursuant to a specific request by a Commissioner or Commission staff.

In accordance with §§ 201.16(c) and 207.3 of the Commission's rules, each document filed by a party to the investigations must be served on all other parties to the investigations (as identified by either the public or BPI service list), and a certificate of service must be timely filed. The Secretary will not accept a document for filing without a certificate of service.

Authority: These investigations are being conducted under authority of title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice is published pursuant to § 207.21 of the Commission's rules.

91 FR 67328