Notice2024-31764
Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, From Malaysia: Amended Preliminary Determination of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 6, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentInternational Trade Administration
Abstract
The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is amending its preliminary affirmative determination in the less-than-fair-value (LTFV) investigation of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules (solar cells), from Malaysia to correct two significant ministerial errors. The period of investigation (POI) is April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 3 (Monday, January 6, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 3 (Monday, January 6, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 601-602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-31764]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A-557-830]
Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled
Into Modules, From Malaysia: Amended Preliminary Determination of Less-
Than-Fair-Value Investigation
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is amending its
preliminary affirmative determination in the less-than-fair-value
(LTFV) investigation of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether
or not assembled into modules (solar cells), from Malaysia to correct
two significant ministerial errors. The period of investigation (POI)
is April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024.
DATES: Applicable January 6, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Barton or Elizabeth Talbot
Russ, AD/CVD Operations, Office III, Enforcement and Compliance,
International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401
Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-0012
or (202) 482-5516 respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On December 4, 2024, Commerce published in the Federal Register its
preliminary affirmative determination in the LTFV investigation of
solar cells from Malaysia.\1\ On December 9, 2024, a mandatory
respondent, Jinko Solar Technology Sdn. Bhd. (Jinko Solar), timely
alleged that Commerce made a significant ministerial error in
calculating its estimated weighted-average dumping margin.\2\ On
December 9, 2024, the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade
Committee (the petitioner) timely alleged that Commerce made
ministerial errors in calculating Jinko Solar's estimated weighted-
average dumping margin.\3\
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\1\ See Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not
Assembled Into Modules, From Malaysia: Affirmative Preliminary
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of
Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures, 89 FR
96207 (December 4, 2024) (Preliminary Determination), and
accompanying Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
\2\ See Jinko Solar's Letter, ``Jinko Request to Correct
Ministerial Error,'' dated December 9, 2024.
\3\ See Petitioner's Letter, ``Ministerial Error Allegation,''
dated December 9, 2024.
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Scope of the Investigation
The products covered by this investigation are solar cells from
Malaysia. For a complete description of the scope of this
investigation, see the Preliminary Determination.
Legal Framework
A ministerial error is defined as including errors ``in addition,
subtraction, or other arithmetic function, clerical error resulting
from inaccurate copying, duplication, or the like, and any other
similar type of unintentional error which {Commerce{time} considers
ministerial.'' \4\ A ministerial error is considered to be
``significant'' if its correction, either singly or in combination with
other errors, would result in: (1) a change of at least five absolute
percentage points in, but not less than 25 percent of, the weighted-
average dumping margin calculated in the preliminary determination; or
(2) a difference between a weighted-average dumping margin of zero (or
de minimis) and a weighted-average dumping margin of greater than de
minimis or vice versa.\5\ Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.224(e), Commerce
``will analyze any comments received and, if appropriate, correct any
significant ministerial error by amending the preliminary
determination.''
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\4\ See section 735(e) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended
(the Act); see also 19 CFR 351.224(f).
\5\ See 19 CFR 351.224(g).
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Analysis of Significant Ministerial Errors
In the Preliminary Determination, Commerce made significant
ministerial errors within the meaning of section 735(e) of the Act and
19 CFR 351.224(f) and (g) in calculating the weighted-average dumping
margin for Jinko Solar. Specifically, Commerce failed to convert
certain Malaysian ringgit (MYR)-denominated expense fields to U.S.
dollars (USD) for the purposes of its dumping margin calculations.\6\
Moreover, Commerce did not correctly implement its decision to
consolidate certain of Jinko Solar's U.S. customer codes (CUSCODU) in
the dumping margin calculations.\7\
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\6\ See Petitioner's Letter ``Ministerial Error Allegation,''
dated December 9, 2024.
\7\ See Jinko Solar's Letter ``Jinko Request to Correct
Ministerial Error,'' dated December 9, 2024.
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We find that these errors meet the definition of ``ministerial
errors,'' and that the corrections of the errors for Jinko Solar
results in a change that is at least five absolute percentage points
in, and not less than 25 percent of, the margin calculated for Jinko
Solar in the Preliminary Determination. As such, they constitute
significant errors within the meaning of 19 CFR 351.224(g).
Accordingly, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.224(e), Commerce is amending the
Preliminary Determination to correct these significant ministerial
errors by revising the rates for Jinko Solar and all other producers
and/or exporters.\8\
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\8\ See Memorandum, ``Analysis of Ministerial Error
Allegations,'' dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this
notice (Ministerial Error Memorandum).
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For a complete discussion of the alleged ministerial errors, see
the Ministerial Error Memorandum.
Amended Preliminary Determination
As a result of correcting the significant ministerial errors for
Jinko Solar, Commerce determines the following estimated weighted-
average dumping margins exist:
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Cash deposit rate
Weighted-average (adjusted for
Exporter/producer dumping margin subsidy offsets(s))
(percent) (percent)
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Hanwha Q Cells Malaysia Sdn. 0.00 0.00
Bhd..........................
Jinko Solar Technology Sdn. 9.90 \9\ 6.43
Bhd..........................
Baojia New Energy * 81.24 * 81.24
Manufacturing Sdn............
CRC Solar Cell Joint Stock * 81.24 * 81.24
Company......................
Lynter Enterprise............. * 81.24 * 81.24
Mega PP Sdn. Bhd.............. * 81.24 * 81.24
All Others.................... 9.90 6.43
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* Rates based on facts available with adverse inferences.
Disclosure
We intend to disclose the calculations performed for this amended
preliminary determination to parties within five days after public
announcement or, if there is no public announcement, within five days
of the date of publication of this notice, in accordance with 19 CFR
351.224.
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\9\ See Memorandum, ``Countervailing Duty Investigation of
Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled
into Modules, from Malaysia: Amended Preliminary Determination
Calculations for Jinko Solar Technology Sdn. Bhd.,'' dated October
31, 2024.
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Amended Cash Deposits and Suspension of Liquidation
The collection of cash deposits and suspension of liquidation will
be revised according to the rates calculated in this amended
preliminary determination, in accordance with section 733(d) of the
Act. Because the amended rate for Jinko Solar and all other producers
and/or exporters result in decreased cash deposit rates, the amended
rates will be effective retroactively to December 4, 2024, the date of
publication of the Preliminary Determination. We will also instruct
U.S. Customs and Border Protection to issue instructions for requesting
a refund of the difference between the amount of cash deposits paid as
a result of the application of the Preliminary Determination rates and
the amount due as a result of the amended preliminary determination
rates.
Notification of U.S. International Trade Commission
In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, we intend to notify
the U.S. International Trade Commission of our amended preliminary
determination.
Notification to Interested Parties
This notice is issued and published pursuant to sections 733(d) and
777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.224(e).
Dated: December 30, 2024.
Abdelali Elouaradia,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2024-31764 Filed 1-3-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P
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