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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) found that one Rheem central air-conditioning heat pump model failed applicable energy conservation standards and ordered Rheem Sales Company to pay a $1,053,240 civil penalty. The order concerns a single basic model, RQPL-B036JK—not Rheem products as a whole.
What did DOE find?
On April 27, 2023, DOE issued Rheem Sales Company a Notice of Noncompliance Determination. The agency said its testing showed that Rheem-brand central air-conditioning heat pump basic model RQPL-B036JK did not comply with applicable energy conservation standards. DOE’s case page identifies the model and the testing-based finding.
What penalty did Rheem face?
On May 21, 2024, DOE ordered Rheem Sales Company to pay a $1,053,240 civil penalty. The order adopted a settlement agreement, so this case should not be read as an example of every enforcement matter following an identical path. DOE’s order gives the penalty and settlement details.
Why can DOE impose a civil penalty?
The Energy Policy and Conservation Act authorizes federal energy conservation standards for covered consumer products and industrial equipment, along with enforcement and civil penalties. DOE says manufacturers and private labelers can face civil penalties for distributing products that do not meet applicable standards. Its enforcement overview describes the office’s role in ensuring manufacturers, including importers, meet energy and water conservation requirements.
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DOE explains that enforcement is intended to protect consumers, support efficiency claims, and prevent companies that violate the rules from gaining an unfair competitive advantage. The agency’s process overview describes an opportunity for a hearing before an administrative law judge after a civil-penalty notice; if a penalty is recommended and not appealed, DOE issues an order. The details of the Rheem matter, however, specify that its order adopted a settlement agreement. DOE’s process overview
What this case does—and does not—say about heat pumps
The finding is about the identified Rheem basic model, not every Rheem heat pump or the heat-pump category generally. DOE has brought other, separate efficiency enforcement actions: in January 2025 it ordered Haier US Appliance Solutions, doing business as GE Appliances, to pay $500,000 in a case involving multiple air-conditioner and heat-pump models. That separate case does not change the scope of the Rheem finding. DOE’s Haier case page
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