Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products; Energy Conservation Standards for Electric Cooking Products (Electric Cooktops, Electric Self-Cleaning-Ovens, and Microwave Ovens)

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for certain major household appliances and requires the Department of Energy (DOE or Department) to administer an energy conservation program for these products. The National Appliance Energy Conservation Act amendments require DOE to consider amending the energy conservation standards for cooking products. DOE today promulgates this final rule to address the energy conservation standard for electric cooking products (including microwave products) and substitute the term ``cooking products'' for the current, obsolete term ``kitchen ranges and ovens.'' DOE is not addressing at this time gas cooking products because it has not completed its analysis of the relevant issues. DOE has determined that there would be no significant conservation of energy for electric cooktops, electric self-cleaning ovens and microwave ovens, and standards would not be economically justified. Therefore, the Department will not add new standards for these products. The Department, however, is amending its regulations to substitute the name ``kitchen ranges and ovens'' with ``cooking products'.