Washington, D.C. — Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) has helped introduce the Distribution Transformer Efficiency & Supply Chain Reliability Act.
The bipartisan bill would stop the Biden Department of Energy (DOE) from implementing new regulations that force distribution transformers to shift from standard grain oriented electrical steel (GOES) cores to amorphous cores.
GOES currently accounts for more than 95% of the domestic distribution transformer market and manufacturers’ production lines are tooled for designs that use GOES. Such a recalibration of the supply chain will further delay manufacturing timelines, which are currently estimated to be a minimum of 18 months to two years.
Moving to amorphous cores would disadvantage U.S. steel manufacturers, risks adding significant vulnerability to the nation’s energy grid, and poses a threat to national security.
The bill was led by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH). Other co-sponsors include: Sens. Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Bob Casey (D-PA), Todd Young (R-IN), Krysten Sinema (I-AZ), and Jon Tester (D-MT).
Sen. Budd said in a statement:
“This is another example of the Biden administration putting their Green New Deal agenda ahead of U.S. workers and national security. While energy efficiency is certainly a laudable goal, the DOE’s abrupt, heavy-handed rule would do far more harm to U.S. steel manufacturers and their workers. I am glad to join Senators Cruz and Brown in this bipartisan effort to stop these new regulations in their tracks.”
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