[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 11, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7727-7729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02676]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[C-570-980]
Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled
Into Modules, From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results
of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review and Rescission of Review,
in Part; 2017
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines
that producers/exporters subject to this administrative review received
countervailable subsidies. Interested parties are invited to comment on
these preliminary results.
DATES: Applicable February 11, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gene H. Calvert AD/CVD Operations,
Office VII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3586.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On March 14, 2019, Commerce initiated an administrative review of
the countervailing duty order on crystalline silicon photovoltaic
cells, whether or not assembled into modules, from the People's
Republic of China (China).\1\ The period of review (POR) is January 1,
2017 through December 31, 2017. On October 1, 2019, Commerce extended
the deadline for these preliminary results until no later than January
31, 2020.\2\ For a complete description of the events that followed the
initiation of this review, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.\3\
A list of topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is
included as the appendix to this notice. The Preliminary Decision
Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via
Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Centralized Electronic System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to
registered users at http://access.trade.gov, and to all parties in the
Central Records Unit, Room B8024 of the main Commerce building. In
addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can
be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed
and electronic versions of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum are
identical in content.
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\1\ See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Administrative Reviews, 84 FR 9297 (March 14, 2019).
\2\ See Memorandum, ``Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells,
Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, from the People's Republic of
China: Extension of Deadline for Preliminary Results of
Countervailing Duty Administrative Review,'' dated October 1, 2019.
\3\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary
Results of the Administrative Review of the Countervailing Duty
Order on Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not
Assembled Into Modules, from the People's Republic of China; 2017,''
dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice
(Preliminary Decision Memorandum).
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Scope of the Order
The products covered by the countervailing duty order are
crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, and modules, laminates, and
panels, consisting of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether
or not partially or fully assembled into other products, including, but
not limited to, modules, laminates, panels, and building integrated
materials. For a complete description of the scope of this order, see
the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
Methodology
Commerce is conducting this administrative review in accordance
with section 751(a)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the
Act). For each of the subsidy programs found countervailable, Commerce
preliminarily finds that there is a subsidy, (i.e., a financial
contribution from an authority that gives rise to a benefit to the
recipient) and that the subsidy is specific.\4\ In making this
preliminary determination, Commerce relied, in part, on facts otherwise
available, with the application of adverse inferences.\5\ For further
information, see ``Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Application of
Adverse Inferences'' in the accompanying Preliminary Decision
Memorandum.
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\4\ See sections 771(5)(B) and (D) of the Act regarding
financial contribution; section 771(5)(E) of the Act regarding
benefit; and section 771(5A) of the Act regarding specificity.
\5\ See section 776(a) of the Act.
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Rescission of Administrative Review, in Part
Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), Commerce will rescind an
administrative review, in whole or in part, if the parties that
requested a review withdraw the request within 90 days of the date of
publication of the notice of initiation of the requested
[[Page 7728]]
review. This review was initiated on March 14, 2019. On April 30, 2019,
SunPower Manufacturing, Oregon LLC (SunPower) timely withdrew its
request for reviews on Chint Solar Zhejiang Co., Ltd. (Chint Solar);
Shenzhen Topray Solar Co., Ltd. (Shenzhen Topray); and Zhejiang
Sunflower Light Energy Science & Technology Limited Liability Company
(Zhejiang Sunflower).\6\ On May 24, 2019, Chint Solar timely withdrew
its request for a review of its own POR entries, and requested that
Commerce rescind the review of Chint Solar because all other parties
requesting a review of Chint Solar had also withdrawn their requests
for a review of Chint Solar.\7\ Because all parties that requested a
review of these companies timely withdrew their requests for these
companies, Commerce is rescinding this review with respect to Chint
Solar, Shenzhen Topray, and Zhejiang Sunflower, in accordance with 19
CFR 351.213(d)(1).
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\6\ See SunPower's Letter, ``Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic
Cells, Whether or Not Assembled into Modules, from the People's
Republic of China: Withdrawal of Request for Administrative
Review,'' April 30, 2019; see also SunPower's Letter, ``Crystalline
Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules,
from the People's Republic of China: Request for Administrative
Review,'' dated December 31, 2018.
\7\ See Chint Solar's Letter, ``Chint Solar Withdrawal of Review
Request: Administrative Review of the Countervailing Duty Order on
Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled
Into Modules (C-570-980) (POR: 01/01/17-12/31/17),'' dated May 24,
2019.
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Further, Commerce received a timely filed certification of no
shipments from Shenzhen Glory Industries Co., Ltd. (Shenzhen Glory).\8\
To confirm Shenzhen Glory's statement, Commerce issued a no-shipments
inquiry to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with regard to
imports of subject merchandise with respect to imports of subject
merchandise from Shenzhen Glory during the POR.\9\ On January 14, 2020,
CBP responded to Commerce's no-shipments inquiry regarding Shenzhen
Glory stating that it found no shipments of subject merchandise from
China that were produced and/or exported by Shenzhen Glory during the
POR.\10\ As there is no evidence on the record that Shenzhen Glory made
entries of subject merchandise into the United States during the POR,
Commerce is rescinding this review with respect to Shenzhen Glory, in
accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3).
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\8\ See Shenzhen Glory's Letter, ``Crystalline Silicon
Photovoltaic Cells from the People's Republic of China--No Sales
Certification,'' dated April 12, 2019.
\9\ See CBP message no. 0014406, dated January 14, 2020.
\10\ See Memorandum, ``Crystalline Silicon photovoltaic cells
from the People's Republic of China (C-570-980),'' dated January 21,
2020.
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Preliminary Results of Review
Commerce preliminarily determines the net countervailable subsidy
rates for the period January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017, are as
follows:
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\11\ Cross-owned entity is: Shanghai JA Solar Technology Co.,
Ltd.; JA (Hefei) Renewable Energy Co., Ltd.; Hefei JA Solar
Technology Co., Ltd.; JA Solar Investment China Co., Ltd.; JA Solar
Technology Yangzhou Co., Ltd.; Jing Hai Yang Semiconductor Material
(Donghai) Co., Ltd.; Donghai JingAo The Solar Energy Science and
Technology Co., Ltd.; Solar Silicon Valley Electronic Science and
Technology Co., Ltd.; Jingwei Electronic Materials Co., Ltd.; Hebei
Yujing Electronic Science and Technology Co., Ltd.; Solar Silicon
Peak Electronic Science and Technology Co., Ltd.; Beijing Jinfeng
Investment Co., Ltd.; Jinglong Technology Holdings Co., Ltd.; JingAo
Solar Co., Ltd.; Ningjin Songgong Electronic Materials Co., Ltd.;
Jinglong Industry and Commerce Group Co., Ltd.; Ningjin Guiguang
Electronic Investment Co., Ltd.; Ningjin County Jingyuan New Energy
Investment Co., Ltd.; Hebei Jinglong Fine Chemicals Co., Ltd.;
Ningjin Sunshine New Energy Co., Ltd.; Hebei Jinglong Sunshine
Equipment Co., Ltd.; Hebei Jingle Optoelectronic Technology Co.,
Ltd.; Hebei Ningjin Songgong Semiconductor Co., Ltd.; Ningjin
Jingxing Electronic Material Co., Ltd.; Ningjin Jingfeng Electronic
Materials Co., Ltd.; Ningjin Saimei Ganglong Electronic Materials
Co., Ltd.; Hebei Ningtong Electronic Materials Co., Ltd.; Ningjin
Changlong Electronic Materials Manufacturing Co. Ltd.; JA Solar
(Xingtai) Co., Ltd.; Xingtai Jinglong Electronic Material Co., Ltd.;
Xingtai Jinglong PV Materials Co., Ltd.; Taicang Juren PV Material
Co., Ltd.; JA PV Technology Co., Ltd.; Ningjin Longxin Investment
Co., Ltd.; and Ningjin Jinglong PV Industry Investment Co., Ltd. See
Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
\12\ The cross-owned entity is: Risen Energy Co., Ltd.;
Changzhou Sveck Photovoltaic New Material Co., Ltd.; Changzhou Sveck
New Material Technology Co., Ltd.; JiuJiang Shengchao Xinye
Technology Co., Ltd.; Jiangsu Sveck New Material Co., Ltd.; Ninghai
Risen Energy Power Development Co., Ltd.; Risen (Luoyang) New Energy
Co., Ltd.; Risen (Ningbo) Electric Power Development Co., Ltd.;
Risen (Wuhai) New Energy Co., Ltd.; Zhejiang Boxin Investment Co.,
Ltd.; and Zhejiang Twinsel Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. See
Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
\13\ See Appendix II of this notice for a list of all companies
that remain under review but were not selected for individual
examination, and to whom Commerce has preliminarily assigned the
non-selected company rate.
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Subsidy rate
Company (percent)
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JA Solar Technology Yangzhou Co., Ltd. and Cross-Owned 19.15
Affiliates \11\........................................
Risen Energy Co., Ltd. and Cross-Owned Affiliates \12\.. 16.40
Non-Selected Companies Under Review \13\................ 17.25
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Preliminary Rate for Non-Selected Companies Under Review
The statute and Commerce's regulations do not directly address the
establishment of rates to be applied to companies not selected for
individual examination where Commerce limits its examination in an
administrative review pursuant to section 777A(e)(2) of the Act.
However, Commerce normally determines the rates for non-selected
companies in reviews in a manner that is consistent with section
705(c)(5) of the Act, which provides instructions for calculating the
all-others rate in an investigation. Section 705(c)(5)(A)(i) of the Act
instructs Commerce, as a general rule, to calculate an all-others rate
using the weighted average of the subsidy rates established for the
producers/exporters individually examined, excluding any zero, de
minimis, or rates based entirely on facts available. For the companies
for which a review was requested that were not selected as mandatory
company respondents, and for which Commerce did not receive a timely
request for withdrawal of review, and for which Commerce is not finding
to be cross-owned with the mandatory company respondents, Commerce
based the subsidy rate on a weighted-average of the subsidy rates
calculated for the two mandatory respondents, JA Solar Technology
Yangzhou Co., Ltd. and Risen Energy Co., Ltd., using their publicly-
ranged sales data for exports of subject merchandise to the United
States during the POR. A list of these non-selected companies can be
found in Appendix II of this notice.
Disclosure and Public Comment
Commerce intends to disclose to parties to this proceeding the
calculations performed in reaching the preliminary results within five
days of the date of publication of these preliminary results.\14\
Interested parties may submit written comments (case briefs) at a date
to be determined by Commerce and rebuttal comments (rebuttal briefs)
within five days after the time limit for filing case briefs.\15\
Rebuttal briefs must be limited to issues raised in the case
briefs.\16\ Commerce will notify interested parties when it has
determined a deadline for case briefs. Parties who submit case or
rebuttal briefs are requested to submit with the argument: (1) A
statement of the issue; (2) a brief summary of the argument; and (3) a
table of authorities.\17\
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\14\ See 19 CFR 351.224(b).
\15\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(l)(ii) and 351.309(d)(l). Interested
parties will be notified through ACCESS regarding the deadline for
submitting case briefs.
\16\ See 19 CFR 351.309(d)(2).
\17\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2).
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Interested parties who wish to request a hearing must do so within
30 days of publication of these preliminary results by submitting a
written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and
Compliance, U.S. Department of
[[Page 7729]]
Commerce, using Enforcement and Compliance's ACCESS system.\18\ Hearing
requests should contain: (1) The party's name, address, and telephone
number; (2) the number of participants; and (3) a list of the issues to
be discussed. If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce will inform
parties of the scheduled date for the hearing, which will be held at
the U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20230, at a time and location to be determined.\19\
Parties should confirm by telephone the date, time, and location of the
hearing. Issues addressed at the hearing will be limited to those
raised in the briefs.\20\ All briefs and hearing requests must be filed
electronically and received successfully in their entirety through
ACCESS by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time by their respective deadlines.
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\18\ See 19 CFR 351.310(c).
\19\ See 19 CFR 351.310.
\20\ See 19 CFR 351.310(c).
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Unless the deadline is extended pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of
the Act, Commerce intends to issue the final results of this
administrative review, including the results of its analysis of the
issues raised by the parties in their comments, within 120 days after
publication of these preliminary results.
Assessment Rates and Cash Deposit Requirement
In accordance with 19 CFR 351.221(b)(4)(i), Commerce assigned a
subsidy rate for each producer/exporter subject to this administrative
review. Upon issuance of the final results, Commerce shall determine,
and CBP shall assess, countervailing duties on all appropriate entries
covered by this review. Commerce intends to issue instructions to CBP
15 days after publication of the final results of review. For companies
for which this review is rescinded, Commerce will instruct CBP to
assess countervailing duties on all appropriate entries at a rate equal
to the cash deposit of estimated countervailing duties required at the
time of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption, during
the period January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017, in accordance
with 19 CFR 351.212(c)(1)(i). Commerce intends to issue appropriate
assessment instructions directly to CBP 15 days after publication of
this notice.
Pursuant to section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act, Commerce also intends
to instruct CBP to collect cash deposits of estimated countervailing
duties, in the amounts shown above for each of the respective companies
shown above, on shipments of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn
from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of
the final results of this review. For all non-reviewed firms, Commerce
will instruct CBP to continue to collect cash deposits at the most-
recent company-specific or all-others rate applicable to the company,
as appropriate. These cash deposit requirements, when imposed, shall
remain in effect until further notice.
Notification to Interested Parties
Commerce is issuing and publishing these preliminary results in
accordance with sections 751(a)(l) and 777(i)(l) of the Act, and 19 CFR
351.213 and 351.221(b)(4).
Dated: January 31, 2020.
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
Appendix I
List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum
I. Summary
II. Background
III. Rescission of Administrative Review, in Part
IV. Non-Selected Companies Under Review
V. Scope of the Order
VI. Application of the Countervailing Duty Law to Imports from China
VII. Diversification of China's Economy
VIII. Subsidies Valuation
IX. Interest Rate Benchmarks, Discount Rates, Inputs, Electricity,
and Land Benchmarks
X. Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Application of Adverse
Inferences
XI. Analysis of Programs
XII. Disclosure and Public Comment
XIII. Recommendation
Appendix II
Non-Selected Companies Under Review
1. Anji DaSol Solar Energy Science & Technology Co., Ltd.
2. Baoding Jiasheng Photovoltaic Technology Co., Ltd.
3. Baoding Tianwei Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
4. Beijing Tianneng Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
5. BYD (Shangluo) Industrial Co., Ltd.
6. Canadian Solar (USA) Inc.
7. Canadian Solar Inc.
8. Canadian Solar International Ltd.
9. Canadian Solar Manufacturing (Changshu) Inc.
10. Canadian Solar Manufacturing (Luoyang) Inc.
11. Changzhou Trina Solar Yabang Energy Co., Ltd.
12. CSI Cells Co., Ltd.
13. CSI-GCL Solar Manufacturing (Yancheng) Co., Ltd.
14. De-Tech Trading Limited HK
15. Dongguan Sunworth Solar Energy Co., Ltd.
16. Eoplly New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.
17. ERA Solar Co., Ltd.
18. ET Solar Energy Limited
19. Hainan Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
20. Hangzhou Sunny Energy Science and Technology Co., Ltd.
21. Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd.
22. Hengshui Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
23. Hubei Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd.
24. JA Technology Yangzhou Co., Ltd.
25. Jiangsu High Hope Int'l Group
26. Jiawei Solarchina (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
27. Jiawei Solarchina Co., Ltd.
28. Jinko Solar (U.S.) Inc.
29. Jinko Solar Co., Ltd.
30. Jinko Solar Import and Export Co., Ltd.
31. Jinko Solar International Limited
32. LERRI Solar Technology Co., Ltd.
33. Lightway Green New Energy Co., Ltd.
34. Lixian Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
35. Luoyang Suntech Power Co., Ltd.
36. Nice Sun PV Co., Ltd.
37. Ningbo ETDZ Holdings, Ltd.
38. Ningbo Qixin Solar Electrical Appliance Co., Ltd.
39. Shanghai BYD Co., Ltd.
40. Shenzhen Sungold Solar Co., Ltd.
41. Shenzhen Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
42. Sumec Hardware & Tools Co., Ltd.
43. Sunpreme Solar Technology (Jiaxing) Co., Ltd.
44. Systemes Versilis, Inc.
45. Taizhou BD Trade Co., Ltd.
46. TenKsolar (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
47. Tianjin Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
48. Tianneng Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd.
49. Toenergy Technology Hangzhou Co., Ltd.
50. Trina Solar (Changzhou) Science & Technology Co., Ltd.
51. Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd. (formerly known as Changzhou Trina
Solar Energy Co., Ltd.)
52. Turpan Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd.
53. Wuxi Suntech Power Co., Ltd.
54. Wuxi Tianran Photovoltaic Co., Ltd.
55. Yancheng Trina Solar Energy Technology Co., Ltd.
56. Yingli Energy (China) Co., Ltd.
57. Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited
58. Yingli Green Energy International Trading Company Limited
59. Zhejiang ERA Solar Technology Co., Ltd.
60. Zhejiang Jinko Solar Co., Ltd.
[FR Doc. 2020-02676 Filed 2-10-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P