Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products; Representative Average Unit Costs of Energy

Section 323 of the EPCA (Act) 1 requires that DOE prescribe test procedures for the determination of the estimated annual operating costs and other measures of energy consumption for certain consumer products specified in the Act. These test procedures are found in 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B.

\1\ References to the ``Act'' refer to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended. 42 U.S.C. Secs. 6291-6309. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Section 323(b) of the Act requires that the estimated annual operating costs of a covered product be computed from measurements of energy use in a representative average-use cycle and from representative average unit costs of energy needed to operate such product during such cycle. The section further requires DOE to provide information regarding the representative average unit costs of energy for use wherever such costs are needed to perform calculations in accordance with the test procedures. Most notably, these costs are used under the Federal Trade Commission appliance labeling program established by Section 324 of the Act and in connection with advertisements of appliance energy use and energy costs which are covered by Section 323(c) of the Act. The Department last published representative average unit costs of residential energy for use in the Conservation Program for Consumer Products on January 5, 1995. (60 FR 1773). Effective [Insert date 30 days after publication], the cost figures published on January 5, 1995, will be superseded by the cost figures set forth in this notice. The Department's Energy Information Administration (EIA) has developed the 1996 representative average unit after-tax costs of electricity, natural gas, No. 2 heating oil, and propane and kerosene prices found in this notice. The cost projections for heating oil, electricity and natural gas are found in the fourth quarter, 1995, EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook, DOE/EIA-0226 (95/4Q) and reflect the mid- price scenario. Projections for propane and kerosene are based on the Short-Term Energy Outlook net-of-tax projection for heating oil costs and the relative prices of those two fuels in 1992 (the most recent year available) in the State Energy Price and Expenditure Report, DOE/ EIA-0376 (92). Both the Short-Term Energy Outlook and the State Energy Price and Expenditure Report are available at the National Energy Information Center, Forrestal Building, Room 1F-048, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-8800. The 1996 representative average unit costs stated in Table 1 are provided pursuant to Section 323(b)(4) of the Act and will become effective [Insert date 30 days from the date of publication]. They will remain in effect until further notice.

Issued in Washington, DC, January 11, 1996. Brian T. Castelli, Chief of Staff, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Table 1.--Representative Average Unit Costs of Energy for Five Residential Energy Sources (1996) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Per million As required by test Type of energy Btu 1 In commonly used terms procedure ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Electricity....................... $25.21 8.6 cents/kWh \2\,\3\............... $.086/kWh Natural gas....................... 6.26 62.6 cents/therm \4\ or............. .00000626/Btu $6.43/MCF \5\,\6\................... Heating oil....................... 6.63 $.92/gallon \7\..................... .00000663/Btu Propane........................... 9.84 $.90/gallon \8\..................... .00000984/Btu Kerosene.......................... 7.39 $1.00/gallon \9\.................... .00000739/Btu ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ Btu stands for British thermal units. \2\ kWh stands for kilowatt hour. \3\ 1 kWh = 3,412 Btu. \4\ 1 therm = 100,000 Btu. Natural gas prices include taxes. \5\ MCF stands for 1,000 cubic feet. \6\ For the purposes of this table, one cubic foot of natural gas has an energy equivalence of 1,027 Btu. \7\ For the purposes of this table, one gallon of No. 2 heating oil has an energy equivalence of 138,690 Btu. \8\ For the purposes of this table, one gallon of liquid propane has an energy equivalence of 91,333 Btu. \9\ For the purposes of this table, one gallon of kerosene has an energy equivalence of 135,000 Btu.

[FR Doc. 96-574 Filed 1-18-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P