Cambodian solar firms not cooperating in US tariff probe

Documents filed with the Department of Commerce indicate that two Cambodian solar companies have decided to stop cooperating with an investigation by the U.S. Commerce Department into accusations they were flooding the market with panels at prices below their cost of manufacture.

Solar Long and Hounen Solar stated in separate letters, dated October 15, that they could no longer devote resources to the antidumping investigation.

Craig Lewis, the attorney for Hogan Lovells who represents them, has no more comment.

In April, several domestic manufacturers requested that President Joe Biden's Administration impose tariffs against products from Vietnam. Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand are the biggest sources of solar panels in the United States.

Solar Long and Hounen Solar, whose export volumes were large to the United States, were chosen by trade officials as mandatory respondents for the investigation in June. Mandatory respondents are proxies of other producers, and they can receive a different tariff rate from the Commerce Department.

According to U.S. Census Bureau figures, solar imports from Cambodia have declined by 37% in the past year.

It wasn't immediately clear whether the companies would participate in the anti-subsidy probe.

The Commerce Department was not immediately available to comment.

A lawyer for the companies involved in the case, including Hanwha Qcells and First Solar (First Solar is Hanwha's subsidiary), said Commerce will likely penalize Cambodian producers if they withdraw from the investigation.

In a press release, Tim Brightbill said that the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee's attorney, Tim Brightbill stated, "This is an important development because both Cambodian respondents have withdrawn from the antidumping investigations and are not cooperating with the Commerce Department investigation." (Reporting and editing by Nichola Maler; Reporting by Nichola groom)

(source: Reuters)