The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) has found additional subsidies benefiting Chinese producers of solar cells and modules, according to the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM).
As a result, the new countervailing-duty rates would increase to 3.44% for Suntech, which previously was assigned a rate of 2.9%, and to 5.81% for Trina Solar, which previously was assigned a rate of 4.73%.
According to the CASM, the rate for all other Chinese solar companies would also increase, because the"all-others," rate is a weighted average of the Trina and Suntech rates.
The CASM also claims DOC investigators announced they found that the Chinese government illegally supplied electricity to Chinese solar producers at a discounted rate. This subsidy increased the duty by 0.44% on Suntech and 0.47% on Trina, according to the CASM.
In addition, the DOC found numerous illegal grant programs, which added another 0.59% for Trina and 0.04% for Suntech.
The DOC's final determination on the Chinese solar tariffs is expected to occur this October.
