Charleston, WV – Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, joined a group of bipartisan colleagues to introduce The Distribution Transformer Efficiency & Supply Chain Reliability Act of 2024. The legislation would prevent a proposed U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) rulemaking from taking effect that, as proposed, risks exacerbating existing supply chain challenges for distribution transformers. This legislation would instead create a new standard that provides increased energy efficiency of transformers at levels that preserve market opportunities for transformers manufactured from both grain oriented electrical steel cores as well as next-generation amorphous cores. 

“America’s power grid is facing enough challenges without DOE’s proposed rule that could make it even more difficult to get the transformers we need to keep our grid running. West Virginians need and deserve a reliable power grid, and I will continue to do everything I can to strengthen our energy infrastructure,” said Chairman Manchin.

Chairman Manchin introduced the legislation with co-sponsors Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), John Fetterman (D-PA), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Todd Young (R-IN), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Ted Budd (R-NC).

Background on the legislation is available here.