[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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           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